Governance Quotes

A small knowledge of human nature will convince us, that, with far the greatest part of mankind, interest is the governing principle... Few men are capable of making a continual sacrifice of all views of private interest, or advantage, to the common good. It is vain to exclaim against the depravity of human nature on this account; the fact is so, the experience of every age and nation has proved it and we must in a great measure, change the constitution of man, before we can make it otherwise. No institution, not built on the presumptive truth of these maxims can succeed.

Our society is run by insane people for insane objectives. I think we're being run by maniacs for maniacal ends and I think I'm liable to be put away as insane for expressing that. That's what's insane about it.

The good leader carries water for his people.

If people were in the habit of refering to 'King George's council, Winston and his gang,' it would go a long way to clearing thought, and reducing the frightful landslide into Theyocracy.

Can you care for the people and rule the country and not be cunning?

The confidence with which a Sovereign is invested, is solid only when it is sanctioned by the suffrages of the people, who clothed him with the supreme magistracy.

A people unused to restraint must be led, they will not be drove.

A wise ruler should rely on what is under his own control, not on what is under the control of others.

Conquered states that have been accustomed to liberty and the government of their own laws can be held by the conqueror in three different ways. The first is to ruin them; the second, for the conqueror to go and reside there in person; and the third is to allow them to continue to live under their own laws, subject to a regular tribute, and to create in them a government of a few, who will keep the country friendly to the conqueror

The constitution of the United States is the result of the collected wisdom of our country.

Opinion is, as it were, the queen of the world, but force is its tyrant.

Nobody is qualified to become a statesman who is entirely ignorant of the problem of wheat.

For government consists in nothing else but so controlling subjects that they shall neither be able to, nor have cause to do [it] harm.

People in a democracy should be satisfied with drawing the Government's attention to a mistake, if any.

I am entirely persuaded that the agitations of the public mind advance its powers, and that at every vibration between the points of liberty and despotism, something will be gained for the former. As men become better informed, their rulers must respect them the more.

What's more to do,Which would be planted newly with the time,As calling home our exiled friends abroadThat fled the snares of watchful tyranny,Producing forth the cruel ministersOf this dead butcher and his fiend-like queen,Who, as 'tis thought, by self and violent handsTook off her life; this, and what needful elseThat calls upon us, by the grace of GraceWe will perform in measure, time, and place.

In the last analysis, one must be a military man in order to govern. It is only with boot and spurs that one can govern a horse.

The civilization of a state should be measured by the amount of suffering it prevents and the degree of happiness it makes possible for its citizens.

To lead people, walk beside them ... As for the best leaders, the people do not notice their existence. The next best, the people honor and praise. The next, the people fear; and the next, the people hate ... When the best leader's work is done the people say, 'We did it ourselves!

The fish cannot leave the deep waters. The state's weaponry should not be displayed.

Law is nothing other than a certain ordinance of reason for the common good, promulgated by the person who has the care of the community.

This is why we feel that democracy's important: because democracy allows you to have small explosions and therefore avoid the bigger explosions.

It is the obligation of the ruler to continually renew himself in order to renew the people by his example.

A prince need trouble little about conspiracies when the people are well disposed, but when they are hostile and hold him in hatred, then he must fear everything and everybody.

The wise know that foolish legislation is a rope of sand, which perishes in the twisting.

I am firmly convinced, therefore, that to set up a republic which is to last a long time, the way to set about it is to constitute it as Sparta and Venice were constituted; to place it in a strong position, and so to fortify it that no one will dream of taking it by a sudden assault; and, on the other hand, not to make it so large as to appear formidable to its neighbors. It should in this way be able to enjoy its form of government for a long time. For war is made on a commonwealth for two reasons: to subjugate it, and for fear of being subjugated by it.

The best leaders are those their people hardly know exist.The next best is a leader who is loved and praised.Next comes the one who is feared.The worst one is the leader that is despised ...The best leaders value their words, and use them sparingly.When they have accomplished their task,the people say, "Amazing!We did it, all by ourselves!

Though [the people] may acquiesce, they cannot approve what they do not understand.

Campaigning is different from governing.

Africa doesn't need strongmen, it needs strong institutions.

A party should not contain utterly incongruous elements, radically divided on the real issues, and acting together only on false and dead issues insincerely painted as real and vital. It should not in the several States as well as in the Nation be prostituted to the service of the baser type of political boss. It should be so composed that there should be a reasonable agreement in the actions taken by it both in the Nation and in the several States. Judged by these standards, both of the old parties break down.

To be fond of learning is to draw close to wisdom. To practice with vigor is to draw close to benevolence. To know the sense of shame is to draw close to courage. He who knows these three things knows how to cultivate his own character. Knowing how to cultivate his own character, he knows how to govern other men. Knowing how to govern other men, he knows how to govern the world, its states, and its families.

Governing a large country is like frying a small fish. You spoil it with too much poking.

A democracy is a state in which the poor, gaining the upper hand, kill some and banish others, and then divide the offices among the remaining citizens equally, usually by lot.

Whether at home or abroad, the task of statesman is to work with human nature warts and all, and to draw on instincts and even prejudices that can be turned to good purpose. It is never to try to recreate Mankind in a new image.

Power has to be insecure to be responsive.

Ignorance and prejudice are the ballast of our ship of state - however, ships without ballast are not seaworthy and cannot sail in the tempests, nor reach a safe harbor.

Constitutions have to be written on hearts, not just paper.

I do not act, and people become reformed by themselves.

The more prohibitions there are, the poorer the people will be. The more laws are promulgated, the more thieves and bandits there will be.

Our democracy is but a name. We vote? What does that mean? It means that we choose between two bodies of real, though not avowed, autocrats. We choose between Tweedledum and Tweedledee.… You ask for votes for women. What good can votes do when ten-elevenths of the land of Great Britain belongs to 200,000 and only one-eleventh to the rest of the 40,000,000? Have your men with their millions of votes freed themselves from this injustice?

All authority belongs to the people.

The State is the sum total of the sacrifice, on its behalf, of its members.

Good leaders reach solutions, and then stop. They do not dare to rely on force.

No perfect democracy is possible without perfect nonviolence at the back of it.

To listen to the interests of all marks an ordinary government; to foresee them marks a great government.

In ancient times, those who wished to illuminate the world with virtue first brought order to their nations. Wishing to order well their nations, they first harmonized their families. Wishing to harmonize their families, they first cultivated themselves. Wishing to cultivate themselves, they first rectified their minds. Those who wished to rectify their minds first made their intentions sincere.

Govern a great nation as you would cook a small fish. Do not overdo it.

Public opinion is the thermometer a monarch should constantly consult.

You need to understand, if you take out a government, take out a regime, guess who becomes the government and regime and is responsible for the country? You are. So if you break it, you own it.

Politics is the art of acquiring, holding, and wielding power.

To rein a kingdom efficiently it is necessary, before all, to put into good order the family. It's impossible for a man who doesn't know how to lead his own family to know how to lead a country.

The more laws that are written, the more criminals are produced.

People starve. The rulers consume too much with their taxes. That is why people starve.

Only a virtuous people are capable of freedom. As nations become corrupt and vicious, they have more need of masters.

The ruler attains wholeness in the correct governance of the people.

The best fortress which a prince can possess is the affection of his people.

There is probably a perverse pride in my administration... that we were going to do the right thing, even if short-term it was unpopular. And I think anybody who's occupied this office has to remember that success is determined by an intersection in policy and politics and that you can't be neglecting of marketing and P.R. and public opinion.

The people cannot be all, and always well informed. The part which is wrong will be discontented in proportion to the importance of the facts they misconceive.

Men are more easily governed through their vices than through their virtues.