quotations about government
Government's view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it.
RONALD REAGAN
remarks to the White House Conference on Small Business, Aug. 15, 1986
A government may endure for several ages, though the balance of power and the balance of property do not coincide. This chiefly happens where any rank or order of the state has acquired a large share in the property; but, from the original constitution of the government, has no share in the power. Under what pretence would any individual of that order assume authority in public affairs? As men are commonly much attached to their ancient government, it is not to be expected, that the public would ever favour such usurpations. But where the original constitution allows any share of power, though small, to an order of men who possess a large share of property, it is easy for them gradually to stretch their authority, and bring the balance of power to coincide with that of property.
DAVID HUME
"Of the First Principles of Government", Essays, Moral, Political, and Literary
In some respects government is like a game; before the players can even take the field to compete, they need to agree on a set of rules that decide how the game is to be played. Constitutions are the rules of the political game - who can vote, who can stand for office, what powers they are to have, the rights and duties of citizens and so on. Without these basic rules politics would degenerate into arbitrariness, brute force, or anarchy.
KENNETH NEWTON & JAN W. VAN DETH
Foundations of Comparative Politics
The Federal Government is rendered weak to do wrong, and powerful to do right: for, as soon as it begins to go wrong, it naturally begins to be divided against itself, and the three great wheels of its machinery exhaust their momentum, or wear each other out, in their friction against each other; while, as soon as it begins to go right, all the parts work harmoniously, and exhaust their full strength on the object of their action.
WILLIAM BATCHELDER GREENE
Socialistic
Government is the most dangerous institution known to man. Throughout history it has violated the rights of men more than any individual or group of individuals could do: it has killed people, enslaved them, sent them to forced labor and concentration camps, and regularly robbed and pillaged them of the fruits of their expended labor.
JOHN HOSPERS
The Libertarian Alternative
The proper function of a government is to make it easy for people to do good and difficult for them to do evil.
JIMMY CARTER
Why Not the Best?
We are not to expect perfection in this world; but mankind, in modern times, have apparently made some progress in the science of government.
GEORGE WASHINGTON
letter to the Marquis de Lafayette, Feb. 7, 1788
All governments require enemy governments.
EDWARD ABBEY
A Voice Crying in the Wilderness
I say, then, that the unhindered will of the wisest and best person would be the ideal government; without danger, for I mean one so wise and good that power would be no temptation to selfishness, no maker of fractiousness or mover of wrath or enticer to wealth, but a heavy weight of responsibility. The will of such a magistrate would be the best government, for even if he were not so wise as the combined wisdom of all the wise and good of the nation, perforce he would be better far, both in purposes and in understanding, than the level of all the good and all the bad together in a multitude.
JAMES VILA BLAKE
"Of Government", Essays
For government; let it be in the hands of one, assisted with some counsel; and let them have commission to exercise martial laws, with some limitation. And above all, let men make that profit, of being in the wilderness, as they have God always, and his service, before their eyes.
FRANCIS BACON
"Of Plantations", The Essays or Counsels, Civil and Moral
The government's monopoly is what has allowed it to produce so bad a product for so long.
DAVID R. HENDERSON
The Joy of Freedom
Government has almost always been a barrier against which intellect has had to struggle; and society has made its chief progress by the minds of private individuals, who have outstripped their rulers, and gradually shamed them into truth and wisdom.
WILLIAM E. CHANNING
Thoughts
While legislation can stimulate and encourage, the real creative ability which builds up and develops the country, and in general makes human existence more tolerable and life more complete, has to be supplied by the genius of the people themselves. The Government can supply no substitute for enterprise.
CALVIN COOLIDGE
speech, Jul. 4, 1924
All government is an ugly necessity.
G. K. CHESTERTON
A Short History of England
In theory, the government of a free people is not one which shall in all circumstances govern, but one that shall effectually govern while it is maintaining right against wrong, and shall begin to fall in pieces as soon as it begins to maintain wrong against right. No country is truly free whose constitution does not furnish the citizen with protection against the wrong-doing of other citizens, and also guarantee him against the wrong-doing of the government itself. No oppressor is so intolerable as an oppressive government; for the private oppressor acts with his own force only, while the governmental oppressor acts with the irresistible force of the whole people.
WILLIAM BATCHELDER GREENE
Socialistic
If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, it expects what never was and never will be.
THOMAS JEFFERSON
letter to Colonel Charles Yancey, January 6, 1816
All government is cruel; for nothing is so cruel as impunity.
GEORGE BERNARD SHAW
On the Rocks
Ceremonies are the first thing to be attended to in the practice of government.
CONFUCIUS
The Wisdom of Confucius
The essence of Government is power; and power, lodged as it must be in human hands, will ever be liable to abuse.
JAMES MADISON
speech at Virginia State Convention, Dec. 2, 1829
Most traditional governments divide people, setting them against each other to weaken the society and make it governable.
BRIAN HERBERT & KEVIN J. ANDERSON
The Butlerian Jihad