It is a certain sign of a wise government and proceeding, when it can hold men’s hearts by hopes, when it cannot by satisfaction.
—Francis Bacon, 1625Quotes
Every country has the government it deserves.
—Joseph de Maistre, 1811I am invariably of the politics of the people at whose table I sit, or beneath whose roof I sleep.
—George Borrow, 1843A government which robs Peter to pay Paul can always count on the support of Paul.
—George Bernard Shaw, 1944You campaign in poetry. You govern in prose.
—Mario Cuomo, 1985There is nothing more tyrannical than a strong popular feeling among a democratic people.
—Anthony Trollope, 1862Politics is the art of preventing people from taking part in affairs which properly concern them.
—Paul Valéry, 1943The U.S. presidency is a Tudor monarchy plus telephones.
—Anthony Burgess, 1972The Revolution is made by man, but man must forge his revolutionary spirit from day to day.
—Che Guevara, 1968My people and I have come to an agreement that satisfies us both. They are to say what they please, and I am to do what I please.
—Frederick the Great, c. 1770All the ills of democracy can be cured by more democracy.
—Al Smith, 1933Politics, n. A strife of interests masquerading as a contest of principles. The conduct of public affairs for private advantage.
—Ambrose Bierce, 1906Democracy is the recurrent suspicion that more than half of the people are right more than half of the time.
—E.B. White, 1944