Quotessence
Home / Quotes / Quote by Murray Kempton

Quote by Murray Kempton

“It is function of government to invent philosophies to explain the demands of its own convenience.”

Quote by Murray Kempton

Create image

Author

Murray Kempton
Murray Kempton

Murray Kempton was a prominent American journalist known for his insightful and critical writing. Born on December 16, 1917, and passing away on May 5, 1997, Kempton's career spanned several decades, during which he covered a wide range of topics, including politics, social issues, and the arts. His work was characterized by its depth of analysis and commitment to social justice. more

You May Also Like

“Of the best rulers, The people only know that they exist; the next best they love and praise the next they fear; and the next they revile. When they do not command the people's faith, some will lose faith in them, and then they resort to oaths! But of the best when their task is accomplished, their work done, the people all remark, We have done it ourselves.”

PeopleKnowsDoneNextLosesTasksPraiseCommandAccomplishedRulersResortsRemarksOathWork Done
Author:Laozi
Create image

“For its part, Government will listen. We will strive to listen in new ways - to the voices of quiet anguish, to voices that speak without words, the voices of the heart, to the injured voices, and the anxious voices, and the voices that have despaired of being heard.”

WayHeartGovernmentSpeakVoiceHeardQuietStriveAnxiousNew WaysAnguishInjured
Book:Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: Richard M. Nixon, 1969
Create image

“The government is huge, stupid, greedy and makes nosy, officious and dangerous intrusions into the smallest corners of life - this much we can stand. But the real problem is that government is boring. We could cure or mitigate the other ills Washington visits on us if we could only bring ourselves to pay attention to Washington itself. But we cannot.”

IfsRealProblemGovernmentPayAttentionDangerousStupidHugeCornersBoringCuresPay AttentionSmallestGreedyReal ProblemsIntrusion
Book:Parliament of Whores: A Lone Humorist Attempts to Explain the Entire U.S. Government
Create image

“The mechanism that directs government cannot be virtuous, because it is impossible to thwart every crime, to protect oneself from every criminal without being criminal too; that which directs corrupt mankind must be corrupt itself; and it will never be by means of virtue, virtue being inert and passive, that you will maintain control over vice, which is ever active: the governor must be more energetic than the governed.”

MeanGovernmentVirtueImpossibleMankindCrimeProtectOneselfVicesActiveCriminalsMechanismVirtuousGovernorsPassiveEnergetic
Book:Juliette
Create image