Knowledge, legitimacy, republicanism

"Until philosophers are kings or the kings and princes of this world have the spirit and power of philosophy, and political greatness and wisdom meet in one, and those commoner natures who pursue either to the exclusion of the other are compelled to stand aside, cities will never have rest from their evils, -- nor the human race as I believe,-- and then only will this our State have a possibility of life and behold the light of day."

-- Plato's Republic, c.380 BC

"Kings can become philosophers; or else philosophers Kings. Let once society be most rightly constituted,- by victorious Analysis."

-- Thomas Carlyle, The French Revolution, 1837