“Amnesty, n. The state’s magnaminity to those offenders whom it would be too expensive to punish.”

—  Ambrose Bierce

The Devil's Dictionary (1911)
Source: The Unabridged Devil's Dictionary

Adopted from Wikiquote. Last update June 3, 2021. History

Help us to complete the source, original and additional information

Do you have more details about the quote "Amnesty, n. The state’s magnaminity to those offenders whom it would be too expensive to punish." by Ambrose Bierce?
Ambrose Bierce photo
Ambrose Bierce 204
American editorialist, journalist, short story writer, fabu… 1842–1914

Related quotes

Dejan Stojanovic photo

“How many unuttered words died in the heads of those for whom a word was too expensive.”

Dejan Stojanovic (1959) poet, writer, and businessman

“Unuttered Words,” p. 59
The Sun Watches the Sun (1999), Sequence: “A Stone and a Word”

“The burning of the house of the offender is not a permissible punishment for arson. The rape of the offender is not a permissible punishment of a rapist. Why should murder be a permissible punishment for murder?”

Ismail Mahomed (1931–2000) South African judge

Justice Ismail Mahomed, S v Makwanyane (6 June 1995).

Henry Taylor photo

“Good nature and kindness towards those with whom they come in personal contact, at the expense of public interests, that is of those whom they never see, is the besetting sin of public men.”

Henry Taylor (1800–1886) English playwright and poet

Source: The Statesman (1836), Ch. 23. p. 176

Simón Bolívar photo

“A state too expensive in itself, or by virtue of its dependencies, ultimately falls into decay”

Simón Bolívar (1783–1830) Venezuelan military and political leader, South American libertador

Letter from Jamaica (Summer 1815)
Context: A state too expensive in itself, or by virtue of its dependencies, ultimately falls into decay; its free government is transformed into a tyranny; it disregards the principles which it should preserve, and finally degenerates into despotism. The distinguishing characteristic of small republics is stability: the character of large republics is mutability.

Joe Biden photo

“Look, I don’t want to punish anyone’s success, but the wealthy have been getting a free ride at the expense of the middle class for too long.”

Joe Biden (1942) 47th Vice President of the United States (in office from 2009 to 2017)

I intend to pass one of the biggest middle class tax cuts ever — paid for by making those at the top pay their fair share.
Source: https://whdh.com/news/democrats-look-to-tax-people-earning-more-than-400k-no-one-else-for-3-5-trillion-bill/ Democrats look to tax people earning more than $400K, no one else for $3.5 trillion bill (September 14, 2021)

John Stuart Mill photo

“Since the state must necessarily provide subsistence for the criminal poor while undergoing punishment, not to do the same for the poor who have not offended is to give a premium on crime.”

John Stuart Mill book Principles of Political Economy

Principles of Political Economy (1848), Book V, Chapter XI, §13

Markus Zusak photo

“Don't punish yourself,' she heard her say again, but there would be punishment and pain, and there would be happiness, too. That was writing.”

Markus Zusak book The Book Thief

Variant: ... there would be punishment and pain, and there would be happiness, too. That was writing.
Source: The Book Thief

Donald Rumsfeld photo

“Those who follow orders to commit such crimes will be found and they will be punished. War crimes will be prosecuted. And it will be no excuse to say, 'I was just following orders.' Any official involved in such crimes will forfeit hope of amnesty or leniency with respect to past action.”

Donald Rumsfeld (1932) U.S. Secretary of Defense

Pentagon briefing, March 20, 2003 http://www.defenselink.mil/Transcripts/Transcript.aspx?TranscriptID=2072
2000s

Frédéric Bastiat photo

“Everyone wants to live at the expense of the state. They forget that the state lives at the expense of everyone.”

Frédéric Bastiat (1801–1850) French classical liberal theorist, political economist, and member of the French assembly

Related topics