In the decline of a State, of whatever nature that State be, two vices will immediately appear and grow: these are Avarice and Fear; and men will more readily accept the imputation of Avarice than of Fear, for Avarice is the less despicable of the two — yet in fact Fear will be by far the greatest passion of the time.
Hilaire Belloc, ”The Decline of a State,” in First and Last (1911).
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H. Belloc
