Home / Topics / Government Quotes

Government Quotes

Browse 15620 quotes about Government.

Government Quotes

“Vietnam was a lie but at least there was a political agenda. It was the domino theory. Iraq is about nothing but George Bush's ego laced with imperialist ambitions. And it was helped by your government.”

Government Political Lying Theory Ego Ambition Iraq Agendas Vietnam Political Agendas

Author:Donald Sutherland

“A government by the passions of the multitude, or, no less correctly, according to the vices, and ambitions of their leaders is a democracy.”

Government Passion Leader Democracy Ambition Vices Multitudes

Book:Works of Fisher Ames

Source: Works of Fisher Ames

“I would like to have insights into things like government, all those big ideas that you brought up that I simply don't have ideas about. I would like to be able to since so many people discuss them, but I don't want to work at them. I don't think my ambition is that strong in that direction.”

People Thinking Want Ideas Bigs Government Able Strong Ambition Insight My Ambition Big Ideas

Author:Jasper Johns

“Man is not the enemy of man, but through the medium of a false system of Government. Instead, therefore, of exclaiming against the ambition of kings, the exclamation should be directed against the principle of such governments; and instead of seeking to reform the individual, the wisdom of a nation should apply itself to reform the system.”

Men Should Government Individual Nations Enemy Principles Kings Ambition Seeking Mediums Reform Exclamation Systems Of Government

Book:Rights of Man: Being an Answer to Mr. Burke's Attack on the French Revolution

Source: Rights of Man: Being an Answer to Mr. Burke's Attack on the French Revolution

“In all ages of the world, priests have been enemies to liberty; and it is certain, that this steady conduct of theirs must have been founded on fixed reasons of interest and ambition. Liberty of thinking, and of expressing our thoughts, is always fatal to priestly power, and to those pious frauds, on which it is commonly founded; and, by an infallible connexion, which prevails among all kinds of liberty, this privilege can never be enjoyed, at least has never yet been enjoyed, but in a free government.”

Source: Essays Moral, Political, Literary: Revision of Great Book

“A democratic constitution, not supported by democratic institutions in detail, but confined to the central government, not only is not political freedom, but often creates a spirit precisely the reverse, carrying down to the lowest grade in society the desire and ambition of political domination.”

Source: Principles of political economy with some of their applications to social philosophy

“Republicans are systematically and deliberately trying to stop millions of American citizens from voting. What part of democracy are they afraid of? I call on Republicans at all levels of government, with all manner of ambition, to stop fear mongering about a phantom epidemic of election fraud. I'm calling for universal, automatic voter registration, every citizen in every state in the union.”

“Hereditary right should be kept sacred, not from any inalienable right in a particular family, but to avoid the consequences that usually attend the ambition of competitors.”

Should Government Particular Ambition Consequence Sacred Competitors Hereditary

Author:Jonathan Swift

“There be three sorts of government--monarchical, aristocratical, democratical; and they are apt to fall three several ways into ruin--the first, by tyranny; the second, by ambition; the last, by tumults. A commonwealth grounded upon any one of these is not of long continuance; but, wisely mingled, each guards the other and makes that government exact.”

Way Firsts Long Government Lasts Fall Three Ambition Tyranny Ruins Grounded Commonwealth Tumult Continuance

Book:Enchiridion Institutions, Essays and Maxims, political, moral & divine. Divided into four centuries. By Francis Quarles

Source: Enchiridion Institutions, Essays and Maxims, political, moral & divine. Divided into four centuries. By Francis Quarles

“Society,--the only field where the sexes have ever met on terms of equality, the arena where character is formed and studied, the cradle and the realm of public opinion, the crucible of ideas, the world's university, at once a school and a theater, the spur and the crown of ambition, the tribunal which unmasks pretension and stamps real merit, the power that gives government leave to be, and outruns the lazy Church in fixing the moral sense of the eye.”

Source: Speeches, Lectures, and Letters