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Being desirous of allaying the dissensions of party strife now existing within our realm, I do hereby dissolve and abolish the Democratic and Republican parties, and also do hereby decree the disfranchisement and imprisonment, for not more than 10, nor less than five, years, to all persons leading to any violation of this our imperial decree.

Joshua Abraham Norton#2

Attribution disputed; shown as originally published.

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About this quote

What does it mean?
The issuer claims to dissolve political parties and penalize their leaders to end strife.
In plain terms
I am banning political parties and sending their leaders to prison.
What can you take from it?
Imposing unity by force often leads to more conflict.

Where it applies

  • dictatorial decree
  • political reform

Putting it to work

  • banning organizations

Questions to consider

  • Can peace be enforced?
  • Is banning parties ever justified?

Another view

This approach violates democratic principles and rights.

More from Joshua Abraham Norton

  1. At the pre-emptory request of a large majority of the citizens of these United States, I, Joshua Norton, formerly of Algoa Bay, Cape of Good Hope, and now for …

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  2. The following is decreed and ordered to be carried into execution as soon as convenient: I. That a suspension bridge be built from Oakland Point to Goat Island…

    Permalink to quote #3
  3. I could argue all day about the significance of facing east in religious rituals, but a clean table is a clean table.

    Permalink to quote #4

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