The State is not force alone. It depends upon the credulity of man quite as much as upon his docility. Its aim is not merely to make him obey, but also to make him want to obey.
Interpretation
The state relies not just on coercion but also on people's willingness to comply.
H. L. Mencken emphasizes the dual role of the state in society: while it can exert force to ensure obedience, it is equally crucial that individuals voluntarily accept its authority. The effectiveness of governance hinges on how much citizens believe in and desire to adhere to the rules, showcasing a balance between coercion and consent.
In practice
In a discussion about civil rights, one might reference this quote to illustrate the balance between authority and individual willingness.
I know a good many men of great learning-that is, men born with an extraordinary eagerness and capacity to acquire knowledge. One and all, they tell me that they can't recall learning anything of any value in school. All that schoolmasters managed to accomplish with them was to test and determine the amount of knowledge that they had already acquired independently-and not infrequently the determination was made clumsily and inaccurately.
It takes a long while for a naturally trustful person to reconcile himself to the idea that after all God will not help him
It is the theory of all modern civilized governments that they protect and foster the liberty of the citizen; it is the practice of all of them to limit its exercise, and sometimes very narrowly.
The central belief of every moron is that he is the victim of a mysterious conspiracy against his common rights and true deserts.
The cure for the evils of democracy is more democracy.
It is my conviction that no normal man ever fell in love, within the ordinary meaning of the term, after the age of thirty.
One never reaches home, but wherever friendly paths intersect the whole world looks like home for a time.
If it had not been for the pernicious power of envy, men would not so have exalted vengeance above innocence and profit above justice... in these acts of revenge on others, men take it upon themselves to begin the process of repealing those general laws of humanity which are there to give a hope of salvation to all who are in distress.
Some lives are tragic, some ridiculous. Most are both at once.
Fortunately analysis is not the only way to resolve inner conflicts. Life itself still remains a very effective therapist.
I believe that the place where an animal dies is a sacred one. There is a need to bring ritual into the conventional slaughter plants and use as a means to shape people's behavior. It would help prevent people from becoming numbed, callous, or cruel. The ritual could be something very simple, such as a moment of silence. In addition to developing better designs and making equipment to insure the humane treatments of all animals, that would be my contribution.
The only unbearable thing is that nothing is unbearable.
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