The greatest crimes are not those committed for the sake of necessity but those committed for the sake of superfluity. One does not become a tyrant to avoid exposure to the cold.

men are guilty of the greatest crimes from ambition, and not from necessity,

The greatest crimes in modern history resulted not just from hatred and greed, but even more so from ignorance and indifference.

It is not the wrongs and crimes punishable by law that cause the greatest evil in the world. It is the lawful wrongs and unpunishable crimes, justified and protected by law and government, that fill the earth with misery and want, with strife and conflict, with class struggles, slaughter, and destruction.

They look upon fraud as a greater crime than theft, and therefore seldom fail to punish it with death; for

Must crimes be punish'd but by other crimes, and greater criminals?

The destruction of the past is perhaps the greatest of all crimes.

"Most "necessary evils" are far more evil than necessary."

The worst crime is faking it

Think it over and see if it is not the law itself, the government which really creates crime by compelling people to live in conditions that make them bad. See how law and government uphold and protect the biggest crime of all, the mother of all crimes, the capitalistic wage system, and then proceeds to punish the poor criminal.

For it is too extreme and cruel a punishment for theft, and yet not sufficient to restrain men from theft. For simple theft is not so great an offense that it ought to be punished with death. Neither is there any punishment that is so horrible that it can keep men from stealing who have no other craft whereby to get their living.

Apart from murder and rape, the most horrendous crimes punished by civilized authority stem back to the 'unpardonable sin'of kingship: disobedience to the sovereign. Murderous coercion was the royal formula for establishing authority, securing obedience, and collecting booty, tribute, and taxes. At bottom, every royal reign was a reign of terror. With the extension of kingship, this underlying terror formed an integral part of the new technology and the new economy of abundance. In short, the hidden face of that beautiful dream was a nightmare, which civilization has so far not been able to throw off.

The greatest crime in the world is to not develop your potential. When you do what you do best, you are helping not only yourself, but the world.

For the powerful, crimes are those that others commit.