Quotes on Government, Governing, Politicians and Politics
”There is no nonsense so arrant that it cannot be made the creed of the vast majority by adequate governmental action.” Bertrand Russell
=
“For those looking for security, be forewarned that there’s nothing more insecure than a political promise.” Harry Browne
=
“The form of law which I propose would be as follows: In a state which is desirous of being saved from the greatest of all plagues—not faction, but rather distraction—there should exist among the citizens neither extreme poverty nor, again, excessive wealth, for both are productive of great evil … Now the legislator should determine what is to be the limit of poverty or of wealth.” Plato (427-347 B.C.)
=
“Free government is founded in jealousy, not confidence. It is jealousy and not confidence which prescribes limited constitutions, to bind those we are obliged to trust with power… In questions of power, then, let no more be heard of confidence in men, but bind him down from mischief by the chains of the Constitution.” Thomas Jefferson, 1799
=
“Government is not reason, it is not eloquence, it is force; like fire, a troublesome servant and a fearful master. Never for a moment should it be left to irresponsible action.” George Washington
=
“Government is the Entertainment Division of the military-industrial complex.” Frank Zappa (1940-1993), musician
=
“Government, when it is examined, turns out to be nothing more nor less than a group of fallible men with the political force to act as though they were infallible.” Robert LeFevre, in his essay “Aggression Is Wrong”
=
“Hitler and Mussolini were only the primary spokesmen for the attitude of domination and craving for power that are in the heart of almost everyone. Until the source is cleared, there will always be confusion and hate, wars and class antagonisms.” J. Krishnamurti
=
“The evils of government are directly proportional to the tolerance of the people.” Frank Kent
=
“Modern fascism should be properly called corporatism, since it is the merger of state, military and corporate power.” Benito Mussolini
=
“I am a most unhappy man. I have unwittingly ruined my country. A great industrial nation is controlled by its system of credit. Our system of credit is concentrated. The growth of the nation, therefore, and all our activities are in the hands of a few men. We have come to be one of the worst ruled, one of the most completely controlled and dominated governments in the civilized world - no longer a government by free opinion, no longer a government by conviction and the vote of the majority, but a government by the opinion and duress of a small group of dominant men.” Woodrow Wilson
=
“I hope we shall crush in its birth the aristocracy of our moneyed corporations, which dare already to challenge our government to a trial of strength and bid defiance to the laws of our country.” Thomas Jefferson
=
“I would rather have free a press and no government, than a government and no free press.” Thomas Jefferson
=
“I wouldn’t call it fascism exactly, but a political system nominally controlled by an irresponsible, dumbed down electorate who are manipulated by dishonest, cynical, controlled mass media that dispense the propaganda of a corrupt political establishment can hardly be described as democracy either.” Edward Zehr (1936-2001), columnist
=
“Republics are created by the virtue, public spirit, and intelligence of the citizens. They fall, when the wise are banished from the public councils, because they dare to be honest, and the profligate are rewarded, because they flatter the people, in order to betray them.” Justice Joseph Story (1779-1845), US Supreme Court Justice, 1833
=
“In relation to the political decontamination of our public life, the government will embark upon a systematic campaign to restore the nation’s moral and material health. The whole educational system, theater, film, literature, the press and broadcasting—all these will be used as a means to this end.” Adolf Hitler (1889-1945), German Nazi Dictator, source: Volkischer Beobachter, 23 March 1933
=
“If once [the people] become inattentive to the public affairs, you and I, and Congress and Assemblies, Judges and Governors, shall all become wolves. It seems to be the law of our general nature, in spite of individual exceptions.” Thomas Jefferson to Edward Carrington, 1787
=
“When buying and selling are controlled by legislation, the first things to be bought and sold are legislators.” P. J. O’Rourke (1947- ), US humorist, journalist, & political commentator
=
“If our democracy is to flourish, it must have criticism; if our government is to function it must have dissent.” Henry Commager
=
“If the citizens neglect their duty and place unprincipled men in office, the government will soon be corrupted; laws will be made, not for the public good so much as for selfish or local purposes; corrupt or incompetent men will be appointed to execute the laws; the public revenues will be squandered on unworthy men; and the rights of the citizen will be violated or disregarded.” Noah Webster (1758-1843), American patriot and scholar, author of the 1806 edition of the dictionary that bears his name, the first dictionary of American English usage