Democracy substitutes election by the incompetent many for appointment by the corrupt few.
—George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950) Irish Playwright
The government is merely a servant—merely a temporary servant; it cannot be its prerogative to determine what is right and what is wrong, and decide who is a patriot and who isn’t. Its function is to obey orders, not originate them.
—Mark Twain (1835–1910) American Humorist
A civil servant is sometimes like a broken cannon – it won’t work and you can’t fire it.
—George S. Patton (1885–1945) American Military Leader
The persons and property of our citizens are entitled to the protection of our government in all places where they may lawfully go.
—Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826) American Head of State, Lawyer
A reform is a correction of abuses; a revolution is a transfer of power.
—Edward Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton (1803–73) British Novelist, Poet, Politician
We are all imperfect. We cannot expect perfect government.
—William Howard Taft (1857–1930) American President, Chief Justice
It is among the evils, and perhaps not the smallest, of democratic governments, that the people must feel before they will see.—When this happens, they are roused to action.—Hence it is that those kinds of government are too slow.
—George Washington (1732–99) American Head of State, Military Leader
All who have meditated on the art of governing mankind have been convinced that the fate of empires depends on the education of youth.
—Aristotle (384BCE–322BCE) Ancient Greek Philosopher, Scholar
When I am abroad, I always make it a rule to never criticize or attack the government of my own country. I make up for lost time when I come home.
—Winston Churchill (1874–1965) British Leader, Historian, Journalist, Author
This country has come to feel the same when Congress is in session as when the baby gets hold of a hammer.
—Will Rogers (1879–1935) American Actor, Rancher, Humorist
In the present crisis, government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem.
—Ronald Reagan (1911–2004) American Head of State
We must judge a government by its general tendencies and not by its happy accidents.
—Thomas Babington Macaulay, 1st Baron Macaulay (1800–59) English Historian, Essayist, Philanthropist
Treaties are like roses and young girls—they last while they last.
—Charles de Gaulle (1890–1970) French General, Statesman
Here is my first principle of foreign policy: good government at home.
—William Ewart Gladstone (1809–98) English Liberal Statesman, Prime Minister
Every government is a scoundrel.
—H. L. Mencken (1880–1956) American Journalist, Literary Critic
Democracy is a government where you can say what you think even if you don’t think.
—Unknown
Publicity is justly commended as a remedy for social and industrial diseases. Sunlight is said to be the best of disinfectants; electric light the most efficient policeman.
—Louis Brandeis (1856–1941) American Jurist
The government is best which makes itself unnecessary.
—Wilhelm von Humboldt (1767–1835) German Philosopher, Linguist, Statesman
The Constitution is not an instrument for the government to restrain the people, it is an instrument for the people to restrain the government—lest it come to dominate our lives and interests.
—Patrick Henry (1736–99) American Patriot, Orator
The government must always be a step ahead of the popular movement.
—Adolf Heinrich von Arnim-Boitzenburg (1803–68) Prussian Statesman
The mistakes made by Congress wouldn’t be so bad if the next Congress didn’t keep trying to correct them.
—Cullen Hightower (b.1923) American Humorist
Ancient Rome declined because it had a Senate, now what’s going to happen to us with both a House and a Senate?
—Will Rogers (1879–1935) American Actor, Rancher, Humorist
An elective despotism was not the government we fought for, but one which should not only be founded on true free principles, but in which the powers of government should be so divided and balanced among general bodies of magistracy, as that no one could transcend their legal limits without being effectually checked and restrained by the others.
—Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826) American Head of State, Lawyer
No more distressing moment can ever face a British government than that which requires it to come to a hard, fast and specific decision.
—Barbara W. Tuchman (1912–89) American Historian, Journalist
Under capitalism man exploits man; under socialism the reverse is true.
—Polish Proverb
I think we have more machinery of government than is necessary, too many parasites living on the labor of the industrious.
—Francis Bacon (1561–1626) English Philosopher
I know now why confusion in government is not only tolerated but encouraged. I have learned. A confused people can make no clear demands.
—John Steinbeck (1902–68) American Novelist, Short Story Writer, Journalist
True friends stab you in the front.
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) Irish Poet, Playwright
Laws are like sausages. It is better not to see them being made.
—Otto von Bismarck (1815–98) German Chancellor, Prime Minister
The monarchy is a labor intensive industry.
—Harold Wilson British Political Leader
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