A government must not waiver once it has chosen it’s course. It must not look to the left or right but go forward.
—Otto von Bismarck (1815–98) German Chancellor, Prime Minister
No man has a natural right to commit aggression on the natural rights of another; and this is all from which the laws ought to restrain him.
—Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826) American Head of State, Lawyer
Governments never learn. Only people learn.
—Milton Friedman (1912–2006) American Economist
This American government—what is it but a tradition, though a recent one, endeavoring to transmit itself unimpaired to posterity, but each instant losing some of its integrity? It has not the vitality and force of a single living man; for a single man can bend it to his will.
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–62) American Philosopher
We’ve been tempted to believe that society has become too complex to be managed by self-rule, that government by an elite group is superior to government for, by, and of the people. Well, if no one among us is capable of government himself, then who among us has the capacity to govern someone else?
—Ronald Reagan (1911–2004) American Head of State
One of the greatest delusions in the world is the hope that the evils in this world are to be cured by legislation
—Thomas Reid (1710–96) Scottish Philosopher, Clergyman
Governing sense, mind and intellect, intent on liberation, free from desire, fear and anger, the sage is forever free.
—The Bhagavad Gita Hindu Scripture
Let thy spirit move upon him to bring to pass those measures which will lift the burdens of government from the backs of the people and keep this nation, under God, a citadel of freedom standing as an example to all the world.
—Gordon B. Hinckley (1910–2008) American Mormon Religious Leader
Whenever is found what is called a paternal government, there is found state education. It has been discovered that the best way to ensure implicit obedience is to commence tyranny in the nursery
—Benjamin Franklin (1706–90) American Political Leader, Inventor, Diplomat
The social order destroyed by a revolution is almost always better than that which immediately preceded it, and experience shows that the most dangerous moment for a bad government is generally that in which it sets about reform.
—Alexis de Tocqueville (1805–59) French Historian, Political Scientist
You will find that the State is the kind of organization which, though it does big things badly, does small things badly, too.
—John Kenneth Galbraith (1908–2006) Canadian-Born American Economist
Freedom of men under government is to have a standing rule to live by, common to every one of that society, and made by the legislative power vested in it; a liberty to follow my own will in all things, when the rule prescribes not, and not to be subject to the inconstant, unknown, arbitrary will of another man.
—John Locke (1632–1704) English Philosopher, Physician
A little government involvement is just as dangerous as a lot -because the first leads inevitably to the second.
—Harry Browne (1933–2006) American Politician, Investor, Writer
What experience and history teach us is that people and governments have never learned anything from history, or acted on principles deduced from it.
—Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel (1770–1831) German Philosopher
Ninety eight percent of the adults in this country are decent, hardworking, honest Americans. It’s the other lousy two percent that get all the publicity. But, then, we elected them.
—Lily Tomlin (b.1939) American Comedy Actress
The 1976 Bicentennial is not going to be invented in Washington, printed in triplicate by the Government Printing Office and mailed to you by the United States Postal Service
—Richard Nixon (1913–94) American Head of State, Lawyer
As long as Nazi violence was unleashed only, or mainly, against the Jews, the rest of the world looked on passively and even treaties and agreements were made with the patently criminal government of the Third Reich…. The doors of Palestine were closed to Jewish immigrants, and no country could be found that would admit those forsaken people. They were left to perish like their brothers and sisters in the occupied countries. We shall never forget the heroic efforts of the small countries, of the Scandinavian, the Dutch, the Swiss nations, and of individuals in the occupied part of Europe who did all in their power to protect Jewish lives
—Albert Einstein (1879–1955) German-born Physicist
The contented and economically comfortable have a very discriminating view of government. Nobody is ever indignant about bailing out failed banks and failed savings and loans associations. But when taxes must be paid for the lower middle class and poor, the government assumes an aspect of wickedness.
—John Kenneth Galbraith (1908–2006) Canadian-Born American Economist
Congress has not unlimited powers to provide for the general welfare, but only those specifically enumerated
—Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826) American Head of State, Lawyer
Where there is a lack of honor in government, the morals of the whole people are poisoned
—Herbert Hoover (1874–1964) 31st American President
While just government protects all in their religious rites, true religion affords government its surest support.
—George Washington (1732–99) American Head of State, Military Leader
It may pass for a maxim in state, that the administration cannot be placed in too few hands, nor the legislation in too many.
—Jonathan Swift (1667–1745) Irish Satirist
A nation of sheep will beget a government of wolves.
—Edward R. Murrow (1908–65) American Journalist, Radio Personality
A sense of this necessity, and a submission to it, is to me a new and consolatory proof that wherever the people are well informed they can be trusted with their own government; that whenever things get so far wrong as to attract their notice, they may be relied on to set them to rights.
—Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826) American Head of State, Lawyer
It is the duty of government to make it difficult for people to do wrong, easy to do right.
—William Ewart Gladstone (1809–98) English Liberal Statesman, Prime Minister
Are you entitled to the fruits of your labor or does government have some presumptive right to spend and spend and spend?
—Ronald Reagan (1911–2004) American Head of State
Nations crumble from within when the citizenry asks of government those things which the citizenry might better provide for itself. … [I] hope we have once again reminded people that man is not free unless government is limited. There’s a clear cause and effect here that is as neat and predictable as a law of physics: As government expands, liberty contracts
—Ronald Reagan (1911–2004) American Head of State
Our enemy sees us clearly. … They will not start a war. They’re worried about one thing: If democracy develops here, if we succeed, we will win
—Mikhail Gorbachev (b.1931) Soviet Head of State
The aggregate happiness of society, which is best promoted by the practise of a virtuous policy, is, or ought to be, the end of all government.
—George Washington (1732–99) American Head of State, Military Leader
I firmly believe that the army of persons who urge greater and greater centralization of authority and greater and greater dependence upon the Federal Treasury are really more dangerous to our form of government than any external threat that can possibly be arrayed against us.
—Dwight D. Eisenhower (1890–1969) American Head of State, Military Leader
When you meet the president, you ask yourself, “How did it ever occur to anybody that he should be governor much less president?
—Henry Kissinger (b.1923) American Diplomat, Academician
As long as our government is administered for the good of the people, and is regulated by their will; as long as it secures to us the rights of persons and of property, liberty of conscience and of the press, it will be worth defending.
—Andrew Jackson (1767–1845) American Head of State
They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.
—Benjamin Franklin (1706–90) American Political Leader, Inventor, Diplomat
To rule is easy, to govern difficult
—Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832) German Poet
A mercantile democracy may govern long and widely; a mercantile aristocracy cannot stand.
—Walter Savage Landor (1775–1864) English Writer, Poet
Govern a great nation as you would cook a small fish.
—Laozi (fl.6th Century BCE) Chinese Philosopher, Sage
Well, fancy giving money to the Government! Might as well have put it down the drain.
—A. P. Herbert (1890–1971) English Humorist, Novelist, Playwright, Activist
The art of government is the organization of idolatry. The bureaucracy consists of functionaries; the aristocracy, of idols; the democracy, of idolaters. The populace cannot understand the bureaucracy: it can only worship the national idols.
—George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950) Irish Playwright
This Being of mine, whatever it really is, consists of a little flesh, a little breath, and the part which governs
—Marcus Aurelius (121–180) Emperor of Rome, Stoic Philosopher
The natural progress of things is for liberty to yield and government to gain ground.
—Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826) American Head of State, Lawyer
The United States is a nation of laws: badly written and randomly enforced.
—Frank Zappa (1940–93) American Rock Guitarist, Singer, Composer
A king may be a tool, a thing of straw; but if he serves to frighten our enemies, and secure our property, it is well enough; a scarecrow is a thing of straw, but it protects the corn.
—Alexander Pope (1688–1744) English Poet
The culminating point of administration is to know well how much power, great or small, we ought to use in all circumstances.
—Montesquieu (1689–1755) French Political Philosopher, Jurist
It is error alone which needs the support of government. Truth can stand by itself.
—Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826) American Head of State, Lawyer
The government, which was designed for the people, has got into the hands of the bosses and their employers, the special interests. An invisible empire has been set up above the forms of democracy
—Woodrow Wilson (1856–1924) American Head of State
I know of no safe repository of the ultimate power of society but people. And if we think them not enlightened enough, the remedy is not to take the power from them, but to inform them by education
—Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826) American Head of State, Lawyer
A government that is big enough to give you all you want is big enough to take it all away.
—Barry Goldwater (1909–98) American Elected Representative, Businessperson, Politician
There is no nonsense so arrant that it cannot be made the creed of the vast majority by adequate governmental action.
—Bertrand A. Russell (1872–1970) British Philosopher, Mathematician, Social Critic
The urge to save humanity is almost always a false front for the urge to rule it.
—H. L. Mencken (1880–1956) American Journalist, Literary Critic
Those who already walk submissively will say there is no cause for alarm. But submissiveness is not our heritage. The First Amendment was designed to allow rebellion to remain as our heritage. The Constitution was designed to keep government off the backs of the people. The Bill of Rights was added to keep the precincts of belief and expression, of the press, of political and social activities free from surveillance. The Bill of Rights was designed to keep agents of government and official eavesdroppers away from assemblies of people. The aim was to allow men to be free and independent and to assert their rights against government.
—William O. Douglas (1898–1980) American Judge