"Man is by nature a political animal."Aristotle
PoliticsHuman Nature
Politics Quotes
200 FAMOUS QUOTES · POLITICS
Politics Quotes
Best politics quotes from Aristotle, Plato, Machiavelli, Churchill, Mark Twain and Orwell: 200 wise and witty lines on power, government and democracy.
"Politics is the art of the possible."
Otto von Bismarck
PoliticsPragmatism
"Democracy is the worst form of government, except for all those other forms that have been tried from time to time."Winston Churchill
DemocracyGovernment
"Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it whether it exists or not, diagnosing it incorrectly and applying the wrong remedy."
Ernest Benn
"Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely."
Lord Acton
PowerCorruption
"The punishment which the wise suffer who refuse to take part in the government, is to live under the government of worse men."Plato
CitizenshipGovernment
"Politics is the gentle art of getting votes from the poor and campaign funds from the rich, by promising to protect each from the other."
Oscar Ameringer
"That government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."Abraham Lincoln
DemocracyPeople
"That government is best which governs least."Henry David Thoreau
GovernmentLiberty
"Every nation gets the government it deserves."
Joseph de Maistre
GovernmentNation
"Politics is the art of preventing people from taking part in affairs which properly concern them."
Paul Valéry
PoliticsCitizenship
"Politics is too serious a matter to be left to the politicians."
Charles de Gaulle
PoliticsCitizenship
"Suppose you were an idiot, and suppose you were a member of Congress; but I repeat myself."
Mark Twain
PoliticiansHumor
"It could probably be shown by facts and figures that there is no distinctly native American criminal class except Congress."
Mark Twain
PoliticiansHumor
"Politics is the art of controlling your environment."Hunter S. Thompson
"Until philosophers rule as kings or those who are now called kings and leading men genuinely and adequately philosophize... cities will have no rest from evils."Plato
"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power."
Robert G. Ingersoll
PowerCharacter
"The ultimate rulers of our democracy are not a President and senators and congressmen and government officials, but the voters of this country."Franklin D. Roosevelt
DemocracyVoters
"A statesman is a politician who's been dead 10 or 15 years."
Harry S. Truman
PoliticiansHumor
"If you want a friend in Washington, get a dog."
Harry S. Truman
"Society in every state is a blessing, but government even in its best state is but a necessary evil."Thomas Paine
"The worth of a State, in the long run, is the worth of the individuals composing it."
John Stuart Mill
StateCitizens
"Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing."
John Stuart Mill
CitizenshipResponsibility
"It is dangerous to be right in matters on which the established authorities are wrong."Voltaire
AuthorityTruth
"A politician thinks of the next election. A statesman, of the next generation."
James Freeman Clarke
LeadershipVision
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About Politics Quotes
# Politics Quotes
Politics has fascinated thinkers since the earliest civilizations. Aristotle called man "by nature a political animal," Plato warned that those who refuse to take part in government end up ruled by worse men, and Lord Acton cautioned that "power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely." Over the centuries, philosophers, statesmen and satirists have added their own wisdom and wit.
This collection gathers the best politics quotes on power, democracy, government, citizenship and leadership, from Machiavelli, Chanakya, Thomas Jefferson, B. R. Ambedkar, Winston Churchill, George Orwell, Mark Twain and many more. These quotes are strictly non-partisan, drawn from classic thinkers and historical figures rather than today's political parties, so readers of every view can enjoy them.
Frequently asked questions
Quick answers about Politics quotes.
What is the most famous quote about politics?
Two of the most famous are Aristotle's "Man is by nature a political animal" and Lord Acton's warning that "Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely." Winston Churchill's remark that democracy is the worst form of government "except for all those other forms" is also widely quoted.
Who said "Politics is the art of the possible"?
The phrase comes from Otto von Bismarck, the 19th-century German statesman, who said it in 1867. It means that good politics is about achieving what can realistically be done rather than chasing perfect solutions.
What did Chanakya say about politics and governance?
Chanakya (also called Kautilya), author of the ancient Indian treatise the *Arthashastra*, taught that "in the happiness of his subjects lies the king's happiness." He also warned about corruption among officials and advised rulers to consult ministers, since "a single wheel can never move."
What are some funny quotes about politics?
Mark Twain joked about Congress being America's only native criminal class, Will Rogers said he just watched the government "and report the facts," and H. L. Mencken called democracy "the art and science of running the circus from the monkey cage." Harry Truman's "If you want a friend in Washington, get a dog" is another classic.
What are the best quotes about democracy?
Popular choices include Lincoln's "government of the people, by the people, for the people," B. R. Ambedkar's call to make "political democracy a social democracy as well," Reinhold Niebuhr's line that man's inclination to injustice "makes democracy necessary," and Pericles's reminder that every citizen has a duty to take part.
Are these politics quotes biased toward any party?
No. This collection is intentionally non-partisan and draws on philosophers, historians, writers and historical statesmen rather than today's political parties. The quotes are ideal for civics classes, debates, essays, elections, Constitution Day and Republic Day posts, and discussions about good citizenship.