I follow the writings of Dr. Robert Higgs (Crisis and Leviathan) on Facebook. Today he was posting quotes from Leo Tolstoy.

"The government assures the people that they are in danger from the invasion of another nation, or from foes in their midst, and that the only way to escape this danger is by the slavish obedience of the people to their government. This fact is seen most prominently during revolutions and dictatorships, but it exists always and everywhere that the power of the government exists. Every government explains its existence, and justifies its deeds of violence, by the argument that if it did not exist the condition of things would be very much worse. After assuring the people of its danger the government subordinates it to control, and when in this condition compels it to attack some other nation. And thus the assurance of the government is corroborated in the eyes of the people, as to the danger of attack from other nations." -- Leo Tolstoy, "Christianity and Patriotism," 1895

"Not only does the action of Governments not deter men from crimes; on the contrary, it increases crime by always disturbing and lowering the moral standard of society. Nor can this be otherwise, since always and everywhere a Government, by its very nature, must put in the place of the highest, eternal, religious law (not written in books but in the hearts of men, and binding on every one) its own unjust, man-made laws, the object of which is neither justice nor the common good of all but various considerations of home and foreign expediency." -- Leo Tolstoy, "The Meaning of the [1905] Russian Revolution," 1906

"The truth is that the State is a conspiracy designed not only to exploit, but above all to corrupt its citizens." -- Leo Tolstoy

To round out this, my first post to Patriot's Lament (Thanks, Josh, for inviting me), I'd like to share this video from the people at Reason:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SegAoSpHJck&feature=player_embedded