Individual rights are not subject to a public vote; a majority has no… — Ayn Rand

Individual rights are not subject to a public vote; a majority has no right to vote away the rights of a minority; the political function of rights is precisely to protect minorities from oppression by majorities (and the smallest minority on earth is the individual).

Ayn RandWriter · Russian · 1905 – 1982

More from Ayn Rand

The earth is the mother of all people, and all people should have equal rights upon it. — Chief Joseph
The smallest minority on earth is the individual. Those who deny individual rights cannot claim to be defenders of minorities. — Ayn Rand
Does wisdom perhaps appear on the earth as a raven which is inspired by the smell of carrion? — Friedrich Nietzsche
A creative man is motivated by the desire to achieve, not by the desire to beat others. — Ayn Rand
A desire presupposes the possibility of action to achieve it; action presupposes a goal which is worth achieving. — Ayn Rand
God... a being whose only definition is that he is beyond man's power to conceive. — Ayn Rand