Jules Verne

The sea does not belong to despots. Upon its surface men can still exercise unjust laws, fight, tear one another to pieces, and be carried away with terrestrial horrors. But at thirty feet below its level, their reign ceases, their influence is quenched, and their power disappears.

French Author

Lysander Spooner

The single despot stands out in the face of all men, and says: I am the State: My will is law: I am your master: I take the responsibility of my acts: The only arbiter I acknowledge is the sword: If any one denies my right, let him try conclusions with me.

American Philosopher

Richard Jefferies

No tyrant, however evil, has yet lacked ready hands to execute his most abominable will. To read how eagerly men have rushed to serve the despot is the bitterest, the saddest matter of history; it is the saddest sight in our own day.

English Writer

Lajos Kossuth

Your generous part in my liberation is taken by the world for the revelation of the fact, that the United States are resolved not to allow the despots of the world to trample on oppressed humanity.

Hungarian Lawyer

Demosthenes

There is one safeguard known generally to the wise, which is an advantage and security to all, but especially to democracies as against despots - suspicion.

Greek Statesman

Eric Hoffer

The savior who wants to turn men into angels is as much a hater of human nature as the totalitarian despot who wants to turn them into puppets.

American Writer

Aeschylus

Neither a life of anarchy nor one beneath a despot should you praise; to all that lies in the middle a god has given excellence.

Greek Poet

Mikhail Bakunin

Idealism is the despot of thought, just as politics is the despot of will.

Russian Revolutionary

Thomas Babington Macaulay

A good constitution is infinitely better than the best despot.

British Poet

Bill Owens

Freedom is contagious. That's why despots fear it so much.

American Politician

Despot is used negatively to highlight unjust use of power.

Negative Term

Despot often refers to historical or nondemocratic rulers, less modern ones.

Not Modern

Despot implies holding and abusing absolute power, beyond checks and balances.

Absolute Power

 investigating a billion dollar that's right a billion-dollar oil deal that he was involved with and what we found was pretty shocking but more about that later so it's easy to think that corruption happens somewhere come over there carried out by a bunch of greedy despots and individuals up to no good in

Meet global corruption's...

 And democracy was the political innovation which protected this freedom, because we were liberated from fear so that our minds in fact, whether they be despots or dogmas,

George Papandreou:...

 and their plans do not include him. A two-faced tail-less, despot, Ramoharta has played his part.