The fictional Salvor Hardin is a mayor of Terminus, location of the Foundation created by Hari Seldon in Isaac Asimov's fictional Foundation series. In the novel Salvador Hardin is protrayed as a shrewd and ruthless politician, a master manipulator who nevertheless acts in the interests of the lofty idealism of the Seldon Plan (a.k.a. The Foundation). His best-known maxim, "Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent", became one of Asimov's favourite sayings.

Another one: "It's a poor atom blaster that doesn't point both ways".

Yet another one: "Never let your sense of morals prevent you from doing what is right"