The French are wiser than they seem, and the Spaniards seem wiser than they are.
—Francis Bacon (1561–1626) English Philosopher
The heroes of the world community are not those who withdraw when difficulties ensue, not those who can envision neither the prospect of success nor the consequence of failure—but those who stand the heat of battle, the fight for world peace through the United Nations.
—Hubert Humphrey (1911–78) American Head of State, Politician
Nothing and no one can destroy the Chinese people. They are relentless survivors.
—Pearl S. Buck (1892–1973) American Novelist, Human Rights Activist
The United Nations is designed to make possible lasting freedom and independence for all its members.
—Harry S. Truman (1884–1972) American Head of State
There are few virtues that the Poles do not possess and there are few errors they have ever avoided.
—Winston Churchill (1874–1965) British Head of State, Political leader, Historian, Journalist, Author
I do not call the sod under my feet my country; but language—religion—government—blood—identity in these makes men of one country.
—Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772–1834) English Poet, Literary Critic, Philosopher
States that rise quickly, just as all the other things of nature that are born and grow rapidly, cannot have roots and ramifications; the first bad weather kills them.
—Niccolo Machiavelli (1469–1527) Florentine Political Philosopher
The greatest nations have all acted like gangsters and the smallest like prostitutes.
—Stanley Kubrick (1928–99) American Film Director, Writer, Film Producer, Photographer
I am like a doctor. I have written a prescription to help the patient. If the patient doesn’t want all the pills I’ve recommended, that’s up to him. But I must warn that next time I will have to come as a surgeon with a knife.
—Javier Perez de Cuellar (1920–2020) Peruvian & United Nations Diplomat
Methinks I see in my mind a noble and puissant nation rousing herself like a strong man after sleep, and shaking her invincible locks. Methinks I see her as an eagle mewing her mighty youth, and kindling her undazzled eyes at the full midday beam.
—John Milton (1608–74) English Poet, Civil Servant, Scholar, Debater
Nationalism is power hunger tempered by self-deception.
—George Orwell (1903–50) English Novelist, Journalist
We Jews have a secret weapon in our struggle with the Arabs; we have no place to go.
—Golda Meir (1898–1978) Israeli Head of State
Nationality is the miracle of political independence; race is the principle of physical analogy.
—Benjamin Franklin (1706–90) American Political Leader, Inventor, Diplomat
The noblest prospect which a Scotchman ever sees is the high road that leads him to England.
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist
The best thing I know between France and England is the sea.
—Douglas William Jerrold (1803–57) English Writer, Dramatist, Wit
If you want to eat well in England, eat three breakfasts.
—W. Somerset Maugham (1874–1965) British Novelist, Short-Story Writer, Playwright
The English are predisposed to pride, the French to vanity.
—Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712–78) Swiss-born French Philosopher
An Englishmen thinks seated; a Frenchmen standing; an American pacing, an Irishman, afterwards.
—Austin O’Malley (1858–1932) American Aphorist, Ophthalmologist
Most nations, as well as people are impossible only in their youth; they become incorrigible as they grow older.
—Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712–78) Swiss-born French Philosopher
France has neither winter nor summer nor morals. Apart from these drawbacks it is a fine country.
—Mark Twain (1835–1910) American Humorist
Italians come to ruin most generally in three ways, women, gambling, and farming. My family chose the slowest one.
—Pope John XXIII (1881–1963) Italian Catholic Religious Leader, Pope
How I like the boldness of the English, how I like the people who say what they think!
—Voltaire (1694–1778) French Philosopher, Author
I showed my appreciation of my native land in the usual Irish way: by getting out of it as soon as I possibly could.
—George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950) Irish Playwright
The strength and power of a country depends absolutely on the quantity of good men and women in it.
—John Ruskin (1819–1900) English Writer, Art Critic
The history of any nation follows an undulatory course. In the trough of the wave we find more or less complete anarchy; but the crest is not more or less complete Utopia, but only, at best, a tolerably humane, partially free and fairly just society that invariably carries within itself the seeds of its own decadence.
—Aldous Huxley (1894–1963) English Humanist, Pacifist, Essayist, Short Story Writer, Satirist
The use of force alone is but temporary. It may subdue for a moment; but it does not remove the necessity of subduing again: and a nation is not governed, which is perpetually to be conquered.
—Edmund Burke (1729–97) British Philosopher, Statesman
The UN is not just a product of do-gooders. It is harshly real. The day will come when men will see the U.N. and what it means clearly. Everything will be all right—you know when?. When people, just people, stop thinking of the United Nations as a weird Picasso abstraction, and see it as a drawing they made themselves.
—Dag Hammarskjold (1905–61) Swedish Statesman, UN Diplomat
Nothing has changed in Russias policy. Her methods, her tactics, her maneuvers may change, but the pole starworld dominationis immutable.
—Karl Marx (1818–1883) German Philosopher, Economist
The Britons are quite separated from all the world.
—Virgil (70–19 BCE) Roman Poet
A nation is the same people living in the same place.
—James Joyce (1882–1941) Irish Novelist, Poet