“Human beings need community. If there are no communities available for constructive ends, there will be destructive, murderous communities... Only the social sector, that is, the nongovernmental, nonprofit organization, can create what we now need, communities for citizens... What the dawning 21st century needs above all is equally explosive growth of the nonprofit social sector in building communities in the newly dominant social environment, the city.” IfsNeedsHumansEndsSocialGrowthCommunityHuman BeingsCitiesEnvironmentCenturyBuildingCitizensOrganizationAvailableDestructiveDominant21st CenturyConstructiveExplosivesNonprofitsSocial EnvironmentBuilding Community Author:Peter Drucker
“There is a limited elite that understands the secrets of their own techniques, but not necessarily of all techniques. These men are close to the seat of modern governmental power. The state is no longer founded on the 'average citizen', but on the ability and knowledge of this elite. The average man is altogether unable to penetrate technical secrets or governmental organization and consequently can exert no influence at all on the state.” MenStatesAbilitySecretInfluenceModernCitizensOrganizationAverageTechniqueSeatsElitesPenetrateAverage ManMental Power Author:Jacques Ellul
“We supported the cooperative movement among farmers. The movement was still young and stubbornly opposed to the commercial distributors. I believed it to be one of the most helpful undertakings, for according to my social theories any organization run by citizens for their own welfare is preferable to the same action by the government.” StillsWisdomGovernmentRunningActionYoungPoliticsSocialEconomyMovementTheoryCitizensOrganizationWelfareLiberalismHelpfulFarmersUndertakingsCooperativesDistributorsSocial Theory Author:Herbert Hoover
“One of the things that I realized when I left office was that in the 1990's citizens across the world applied more power than they had ever had, as compared with the government, because of more people living under democracies than dictatorships for the first time, the power of the internet, which the young Chinese used to basically change China's policy on the SARS epidemic, and shut it down, and because of the rise in non-governmental organizations like my foundation.” PeopleWorldFirstsGovernmentYoungUsedLeftDemocracyPolicyInternetCitizensOfficeFirst TimeOrganizationDown AndFoundationChinaI RealizedChineseDictatorshipEpidemicsSars Author:William J. Clinton
“I regard the state of which I am a citizen as a public utility, like the organization that supplies me with water, gas, and electricity. I feel that it is my civic duty to pay my taxes as well as my other bills, and that it is my moral duty to make an honest declaration of my income to the income tax authorities. But I do not feel that I and my fellow citizens have a religious duty to sacrifice our lives in war on behalf of our own state, and, a fortiori, I do not feel that we have an obligation or a right to kill and maim citizens of other states or to devastate their land.” FeelsWellsWarStatesWaterReligiousPayMoralOur LivesSacrificeLandHonestDutyCitizensTaxesAuthorityOrganizationRegardFellowsBillsIncomeObligationGasElectricityDeclarationBehalfUtilityCivicsSuppliesIncome TaxCivic DutyMoral Duty Author:Arnold J. Toynbee
“To the extent that we consume, in our present circumstances, we are guilty. To the extent that we guilty consumers are conservationists, we are absurd. But what can we do? Must we go on writing letters to politicians and donating to conservation organizations until the majority of our fellow citizens agree with us? Or can we do something directly to solve our share of the problem? I am a conservationist. I believe wholeheartedly in putting pressure on the politicians and in maintaining the conservation organizations.” WritingBelieveProblemI BelieveShareGoes OnCitizensPoliticianCircumstancesLettersOrganizationPressureAgreeFellowsMajoritySolveAbsurdGuiltyConsumersConsumerismConservationMaintainingOverconsumptionWholeheartedly Author:Wendell Berry
“Legal reform organizations are usually trying to portray their constituents as "hard workers," as "not criminals," as citizens, as part of normative family arrangements, and as conforming to white norms as much as possible. When these strategies are used, the most dangerous conditions and the people who are most vulnerable cannot be discussed or addressed.” PeopleTryingHardUsedWhiteConditionsDangerousHard WorkCitizensOrganizationStrategyWorkersCriminalsVulnerableReformArrangementsConformNormConstituentsHard Worker Author:Dean Spade
“We have organizations, whether it is ISIS or Al Qaida, who do believe we should go back several thousand years. We should make women third-class citizens, that we should allow children to be sexually assaulted. They are a danger to modern society.” ShouldYearsBelieveChildrenClassModernDangerCitizensThousandOrganizationThirdsAlsThousand YearsIsisSexuallyModern Society Author:Bernie Sanders
“I believe we're all aware that there are people and organizations throughout the world who are bent on destroying America, everything we stand for and inflicting harm on American citizens. It is the obligation of the president of the United States to respond to those. I believe, I must add, that this adminstration for the last seven months has neglected compelling national security threats besides this ... I hope that the president will not confine his activities to just this.” PeopleWorldBelieveStatesLastsAmericaI BelievePresidentUnitedUnited StatesSecurityMonthsCitizensActivityOrganizationAddThreatSevenHarmObligationDestroyingCompellingBentNational SecurityNeglectedAmerican CitizensSeven Months Author:John McCain
“My passion for others and my experience as an actor and citizen of the world has naturally shaped me into a social and political activist who finds fulfillment from their work with meaningful organizations.” WorldPoliticalPassionActorsSocialCitizensOrganizationMeaningfulFulfillmentActivistMy Passion Author:Sufe Bradshaw
“There are three major political organizations in this country: the Republican Party, the Democratic Party and the Koch Brothers Party. With billions to spend on campaigns. think tanks and 'educational' organizations, the Koch brothers are the most powerful. We must overturn Citizens United, move to public funding of elections and pass real tax reform.” ThinkingRealCountryMovingPoliticalThreeUnitedPowerfulPartyBrotherCitizensRepublicanTaxesMajorsOrganizationElectionDemocraticEducationalBillionsCampaignsReformMost PowerfulRepublican PartyDemocratic PartyFundingTanksTax ReformCitizens United Author:Bernie Sanders
“I understand by socialism a society in which the aim of production is not profit, but the use. In which the individual citizen participates responsibly in his work, and in the whole social organization, and in which he is not a means who is employed by capital.” MeanWholeUseIndividualSocialCitizensOrganizationAimProfitProductionsSocialismEmployedSocial Organization Author:Erich Fromm
“Drafts of domestic legislation must be published, debated and publicly voted on, which gives ample opportunities to civil society organizations and ordinary citizens to at least understand what's being proposed and to voice and to organize opposition before the decision is made.” GivingMadeOpportunityVoiceDecisionCitizensOrdinaryOrganizationOppositionOrganizeLegislationCivil SocietyOrdinary Citizens Author:Thomas Pogge
“Often vastly more important, international agreements are not routinely published in draft form or publicly debated, and civil society organizations and ordinary citizens often learn of important global institutional design decisions only after they have already been finalized and adopted. The only reliable way to be kept informed and to exert timely influence is by lobbying and paying the politicians and their negotiators.” WayImportantFormDecisionInfluenceDesignCitizensPoliticianOrdinaryOrganizationInternationalAgreementAdoptedCivil SocietyTimelyLobbyingOrdinary Citizens Author:Thomas Pogge
“Let the workers organize. Let the toilers assemble. Let their crystallized voice proclaim their injustices and demand their privileges. Let all thoughtful citizens sustain them, for the future of Labor is the future of America.” AmericaVoiceJusticeSupportCitizensFutureDemandLaborOrganizationUnionsWorkersInjusticePrivilegeOrganizedThoughtfulSolidarityOrganizeSustainingLabor UnionProclaimingOrganized LaborFuture Of AmericaKnowledge WorkersFruit Of Labor Author:John L. Lewis
“Done correctly, everyone from individual speakers to large organizations can inspire citizens and customers to spread a message using their own social channels, and in so doing, inspire countless supporters to build their reputation, profits and social impact.” DoneIndividualSocialInspireCitizensMessagesOrganizationImpactProfitSpreadCustomersReputationSpeakersSupporterSocial Impact Author:Simon Mainwaring
“Frequent worshippers are also significantly more active citizens. They are more likely to belong to community organizations, especially those concerned with young people, health, arts and leisure, neighborhood and civic groups and professional associations.” PeopleArtYoungCommunityGroupsCitizensConcernedOrganizationActiveNeighborhoodAssociationLeisureCivicsWorshippers Author:Jonathan Sacks
“Treaties, agreements and organizations to help settle disputes may be necessary, but they often favor the interests of business over citizens.” MayHelpingInterestCitizensOrganizationFavorsSettlingAgreementDisputesTreaties Author:David Suzuki