“Democracy cannot succeed unless those who express their choice are prepared to choose wisely.”
Franklin D. Roosevelt
VotingWisdom
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.
“Secrecy and a free, democratic government don't mix.”
Harry S. Truman
TransparencyDemocracy
“Politics ought to be the part-time profession of every citizen who would protect the rights and privileges of free people.”
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Civic DutyParticipation
“A nation that is afraid to let its people judge the truth and falsehood in an open market is a nation that is afraid of its people.”
John F. Kennedy
Free SpeechTruth
“The vote is the most powerful instrument ever devised by man for breaking down injustice and destroying the terrible walls which imprison men because they are different from other men.”
Lyndon B. Johnson
Voting RightsEquality
“A government big enough to give you everything you want is a government big enough to take from you everything you have.”
Gerald Ford
Limited GovernmentWarning
“We must adjust to changing times and still hold to unchanging principles.”
Jimmy Carter
PrinciplesChange
“The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works.”
Barack Obama
Good GovernmentResults
“The office of government is not to confer happiness, but to give men opportunity to work out happiness for themselves.”
William Ellery Channing
OpportunityRole Of Government
“One person with a belief is a social power equal to ninety-nine who have only interests.”
John Stuart Mill
ConvictionInfluence
“It is the greatest happiness of the greatest number that is the measure of right and wrong.”
Jeremy Bentham
Public GoodPhilosophy
“The tyranny of a prince in an oligarchy is not so dangerous to the public welfare as the apathy of a citizen in a democracy.”
Montesquieu
Civic DutyApathy
“In general, the art of government consists in taking as much money as possible from one class of citizens to give to the other.”
Voltaire
TaxesFunny
“Justice is truth in action.”
Benjamin Disraeli
JusticeShort Quotes
“Suppose you were an idiot, and suppose you were a member of Congress; but I repeat myself.”
Mark Twain
PoliticiansFunny
“The state comes into existence for the sake of life, and continues in existence for the sake of the good life.”
Aristotle
PurposePhilosophy
“Rule, after you have first learned to be ruled.”
Solon
LeadershipHumility
“Ye shall not respect persons in judgment; but ye shall hear the small as well as the great.”
The Bible (Deuteronomy 1:17)
EqualityJustice
“That the hypocrite reign not, lest the people be ensnared.”
The Bible (Job 34:30)
HonestyLeadership
“Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth.”
The Bible (Psalm 2:10)
WisdomLeaders
“By me kings reign, and princes decree justice.”
The Bible (Proverbs 8:15)
WisdomJustice
“In the multitude of people is the king's honour: but in the want of people is the destruction of the prince.”
The Bible (Proverbs 14:28)
PeopleLeadership
“Behold, a king shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in judgment.”
The Bible (Isaiah 32:1)
RighteousnessHope
“He removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise.”
The Bible (Daniel 2:21)
PowerFaith
“Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.”
The Bible (Romans 13:7)
TaxesRespect