Quotes About Governance

The principle of effective government is meritocracy; the principle of democracy is popular participation. These two principles can be made to work together, but there is always an underlying tension between them.

In the hands of good leaders, such a system can actually perform better than a democratic system that is subject to rule of law and formal democratic procedures like multiparty elections. It can make large, difficult decisions without being hampered by interest groups, lobbying, litigation, or the need to form cumbersome political coalitions or educate the public as to their own self-interest.

In all postconflict reconstruction, the ultimate goal is to create a minimally capable state in four key areas: (1) security; (2) governance and participation; (3) social and economic well-being; and (4) justice and reconciliation.

a politically developed liberal democracy includes all three sets of institutions—the state, rule of law, and procedural accountability—

The current dysfunction and decay of the American political system is

highly corrupt governments usually have big problems in delivering services, enforcing laws, and representing the public interest.

Sequencing therefore matters enormously. Those countries in which democracy preceded modern state building have had much greater problems achieving high-quality governance than those that inherited modern states from absolutist times.

the real driver of state formation is violence or the threat of violence, making the social contract an efficient rather than a final cause.

The way to subject all things to thyself is to subject thyself to reason; thou shalt govern many if reason govern thee. Wouldst thou be a monarch of a little world, command thyself.

El alcalde tiene dos obligaciones que están por encima de cualquier otra: mantener la ciudad segura y gobernar de una manera claramente liberal y progresista. Perdido eso, la magia desaparecería.»

Children are very nice observers, and will often perceive your sligthest defects. In general, those who govern children, forgive nothing in them, but everything in themselves.

There has never been a perfect government, because men have passions and if they did not have passions, there would be no need for government.

An election cannot give a country a firm sense of direction if it has two or more national parties which merely have different names, but are as alike in their principals and aims as two peas in the same pod.

It is true that if care is taken to use only a language that it's understood by graduates in law and economics, you can easily prove that the masses have to be managed from above.

That famous dictatorship, whose supporters believe that it is called for by the historical process and consider it an indispensable prelude to the dawn of independence, in fact symbolizes the decision of the bourgeois caste to govern the underdeveloped country first with the help of the people, but soon against them.

Party domination and State leadership are concepts incompatible with one another.

What he had no disagreement about with either former president was that political parties were instruments of bad governance; they were manifestations of individual or group self-interest that would undermine republican government.

Academics, think-tank executives, scientists, and high-level bureaucrats, as well as well-educated managers of major companies and their technical staff, are naturally attracted to the idea of a society ruled by professional experts with "enlightened" values—that is, by people much like themselves.10 This

An educated people can be easily governed.

The law is not something holy, son. It's just a reflection of the ideals of those lucky enough to be in charge.

Control is the basis of all true power. Authority and strength are matters of perception

Men like power, and they love controlling something powerful.

Quae quondam rerum naturam sola gubernas.

You who govern public affairs, what need have you to employ punishments? Love virtue, and the people will be virtuous. The virtues of a superior man are like the wind; the virtues of a common man are like the grass—the grass, when the wind passes over it, bends.