Despotic government supports itself by abject civilization, in which debasement of the human mind, and wretchedness in the mass of the people, are the chief criterions. Such governments consider man merely as an animal; that the exercise of intellectual faculty is not his privilege; that he has nothing to do with the laws but to obey them; and they politically depend more upon breaking the spirit of the people by poverty, than they fear enraging it by desperation. Thomas Paine, First Principles of Government, 1795
Princes and governments are far more dangerous than other elements within society. Niccolo Machiavelli, The Prince
I would not give half a guinea to live under one form of government other than another. It is of no moment to the happiness of an individual. Samuel Johnson
Let us never forget that government is ourselves and not an alien power over us. The ultimate rulers of our democracy are not a president and senators and congressmen and government officials, but the voters of this country. Franklin D Roosevelt
Poor people cannot rely on the government to come to help you in times of need. You have to get your education. Then nobody can control your destiny. Charles Barkley
Fear is the foundation of most governments. John Adams, Thoughts on Governments, 1776
The only maxim of a free government ought to be to trust no living man with power to endanger the public liberty. John Adams
A government of laws and not of men. John Adams
The happiness of society is the end of government. John Adams
There is danger from all men. The only maxim of a free government ought to be to trust no man living with power to endanger the public liberty. John Adams
Our government is nothing but a gangster’s joke. The Petrified Forest 1936 starring Bette Davis & Leslie Howard & Humphrey Bogart & Genevieve Tobin & Dick Foran & Joe Sawyer & Porter Hall & Charley Grapewin & Paul Harvey & Eddie Acuff et al, director Archie L Mayo, opening scene
The people’s government, made for the people, made by the people, and answerable to the people. Daniel Webster
Whatever government is not a government of laws, is a despotism, let it be called what it may. Daniel Webster
No matter how paranoid or conspiracy-minded you are, what the government is actually doing is worse than you imagine. William Blum
Voltaire wrote that the English were the only people on Earth enabled to limit the power of kings by establishing wise government. Dr Lucy Worsley, The First Georgians: The Germans Who Made Britain I, BBC 2014
Governments know far less than they pretend to. This is Britain with Andrew Marr, BBC 2011
I believe in an America with a government of men devoted solely to the public interests – men of ability and dedication, free from conflict or corruption or other commitment – a responsible government that is efficient and economical, with a balanced budget over the years of the cycle, reducing its debt in prosperous times – a government willing to entrust the people with the facts that they have – not a businessman’s government, with business in the saddle, as the late Secretary McKay described this administration of which he was a member – not a labor government, not a farmer’s government, not a government of one section of the country or another, but a government of, for and by the people. John F Kennedy, speech Convention Centre Philadelphia October 1960
I have pledged myself and my colleagues in the cabinet to a continuous encouragement of initiative, responsibility and energy in serving the public interest. Let every public servant know, whether his post is high or low, that a man’s rank and reputation in this Administration will be determined by the size of the job he does, and not by the size of his staff, his office or his budget. Let it be clear that this Administration recognizes the value of dissent and daring – that we greet healthy controversy as the hallmark of healthy change. Let the public service be a proud and lively career. And let every man and woman who works in any area of our national government, in any branch, at any level, be able to say with pride and with honor in future years: ‘I served the United States government in that hour of our nation's need.’ John F Kennedy, State of the Union address January 1961
Somebody has to take governments’ place, and business seems to me to be a logical entity to do it. David Rockefeller, Newsweek International 1st February 1999
Whenever you’re faced with an explanation of what’s going on in Washington, the choice between incompetence and conspiracy, always choose incompetence. Charles Krauthammer
This pageantry cloaks the British constitution. But what’s really at its heart? Have you ever heard of parts of it called Misc 7, OD, Odsa, Gen 29, Misc 94 or the LF – what do you think they are? In some ways these organisations are more secret than MI5 or MI6. And there are many more of them. These mysterious initials are amongst any prime minister’s most closely regarded secrets. These are the organisations who have really decided critical national issues over the last ten years. Duncan Campbell, Secret Society: The Secret Constitution, Secret Government Committees, BBC 1987
That power is most vulnerable but most critical at the time of a general election. In the last two elections outgoing governments used such committees for unusual tactics, which like details of the committees themselves, have no place in the textbooks that are supposed to teach us about the British constitution. ibid.
There are grave doubts at the hugeness of the land. Whether one government can comprehend the whole. Henry Adams
There is no art which one government sooner learns of another than that of draining money from the pockets of the people. Adam Smith, Wealth of Nations, 1776
The function of a government is to calm, rather than to excite, agitation. Henry John Temple, Lord Palmerston
A patriot must always be ready to defend his country against his government. Edward Abbey
It is dangerous to be right when the government is wrong. Voltaire
The art of government is to make two-thirds of a nation pay all it possibly can pay for the benefit of the other third. Voltaire
The best government is a benevolent tyranny tempered by an occasional assassination. Voltaire
In general the art of government consists of taking as much money as possible from one class of citizens to give to another. Voltaire
Every country has the government it deserves. Joseph de Maistre
See, these are criminals. You are dealing with a criminal government here. Louis Farrakhan
Fuck them. They are liars and murderers. All governments are murderers and liars. And I am now Jesus. And this is my compound. Bill Hicks, Rant in E Minor
Never believe governments, not any of them, not a word they say; keep an untrusting eye on all they do. Martha Gellhorn, American journalist, obituary Daily Telegraph 17th February 1998
Everything Washington touches it turns to ruin. Gerald Celente
Wall Street has hijacked Washington. Gerald Celente
Of all the vulgar arts of government, that of solving every difficulty which might arise by thrusting the hand into the public purse is the most delusory and contemptible. Robert Peel, House of Commons 1834
For the last fifty years we’ve been supporting right-wing governments, and that is a puzzlement to me ... I don’t understand what there is in the American character ... that almost automatically, even when we have a liberal President, we support fascist dictatorships or are tolerant towards them. William Shirer
No form of government, once in power, can be trusted to limit its own ambition, to extend freedom and to wither away. This means that it is up to the citizenry, those outside of power, to engage in permanent combat with the state, short of violent, escalatory revolution, but beyond the gentility of the ballot-box, to insure justice, freedom and well-being. Howard Zinn
The art of government is the organisation of idolatry. George Bernard Shaw, Man and Superman
A government which robs Peter to pay Paul can always depend on the support of Paul. George Bernard Shaw, Everybody’s Political What’s What?
The country will neither be united at home nor respected abroad till the reins of government are lodged with men who have some little pretensions to common sense and common honesty. Charles Pratt, Lord Shelburne, speech House of Lords 22nd November 1770