“The people are the only legitimate fountain of power.”
James Madison
People PowerDemocracy
Government Quotes
200 FAMOUS QUOTES · GOVERNMENT
Government Quotes
Read the best government quotes on democracy, law, leadership and liberty from Madison, Jefferson, Mencius, Kautilya, Gandhi, Ambedkar, Plato and more.
“The essence of Government is power; and power, lodged as it must be in human hands, will ever be liable to abuse.”
James Madison
PowerAbuse Of Power
“In questions of power, then, let no more be heard of confidence in man, but bind him down from mischief by the chains of the Constitution.”
Thomas Jefferson
ConstitutionLimits On Power
“The whole art of government consists in the art of being honest.”
Thomas Jefferson
HonestyGood Government
“Sometimes it is said that man cannot be trusted with the government of himself. Can he, then, be trusted with the government of others?”
Thomas Jefferson
Self GovernmentTrust
“I hold it that a little rebellion now and then is a good thing, and as necessary in the political world as storms in the physical.”
Thomas Jefferson
DissentChange
“There is a way to get the kingdom: get the people, and the kingdom is got.”
Mencius
PeopleLeadership
“When good government prevails in a state, language may be lofty and bold, and actions the same.”
Confucius
Free SpeechGood Government
“Whoever imposes severe punishment becomes repulsive to the people, while he who awards mild punishment becomes contemptible. But whoever imposes punishment as deserved becomes respectable.”
Kautilya (Arthashastra)
JusticeBalance
“A king is he who treasure gains, stores up, defends, and duly for his kingdom's weal expends.”
Thiruvalluvar
Public FinanceLeadership
“Gifts, grace, right sceptre, care of people's weal; these four make up the light of kings.”
Thiruvalluvar
LeadershipPublic Welfare
“One who reveres his own religion and condemns the religions of others, out of devotion to his own, only harms his own religion.”
Emperor Ashoka
ToleranceHarmony
“Democracy must in essence mean the art and science of mobilising the entire physical, economic and spiritual resources of all the various sections of the people in the service of the common good of all.”
Mahatma Gandhi
DemocracyCommon Good
“We must hold fast to constitutional methods of achieving our social and economic objectives.”
B. R. Ambedkar
ConstitutionPeaceful Change
“Democracy is good. I say this because other systems are worse.”
Jawaharlal Nehru
DemocracyShort Quotes
“Manpower without unity is not a strength unless it is harmonised and united properly, then it becomes a spiritual power.”
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel
UnityNation
“Here, sir, the people govern.”
Alexander Hamilton
DemocracyPeople
“Government is instituted for the common good; for the protection, safety, prosperity, and happiness of the people; and not for the profit, honor, or private interest of any one man, family, or class of men.”
John Adams
Common GoodPurpose
“Few men have virtue to withstand the highest bidder.”
George Washington
CorruptionHuman Nature
“Our government rests in public opinion.”
Abraham Lincoln
Public OpinionDemocracy
“Whenever I hear any one arguing for slavery, I feel a strong impulse to see it tried on him personally.”
Abraham Lincoln
FreedomJustice
“Government is a trust, and the officers of the government are trustees; and both the trust and the trustees are created for the benefit of the people.”
Henry Clay
Public ServiceTrust
“The people are responsible for the character of their Congress.”
James A. Garfield
VotingResponsibility
“Though the people support the Government, the Government should not support the people.”
Grover Cleveland
Limited GovernmentSelf Reliance
“The government is us; we are the government, you and I.”
Theodore Roosevelt
CitizenshipDemocracy