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Governance Quotes
"Direct benefit transfer is a big reform. Earlier who knew where MNREGA money was going? Now it is sent by DBT. So are gas subsidy payments and student scholarships. For me all these are reforms in governance, transparency."
58
"The administration of a country, more than any other human activity, is carried on in the atmosphere of moral compromise."
42
"My aim is to reform to transform. For me, reforms are those policies that transform the lives of ordinary citizens. In the last two years, we have taken a comprehensive package of reforms which go beyond more economic reforms."
20
"Jan Bhagidari is the biggest asset of a democracy. We are increasing it through MyGov, letters from citizens, Mann Ki Baat and other initiatives"
16
"Tyranny and anarchy are never far apart."
15
"The essence of tyranny is not iron law. It is capricious law."
14
"War, it will be seen, is now a purely internal affair. In the past, the ruling groups of all countries, although they might recognize their common interest and therefore limit the destructiveness of war, did fight against one another, and the victor always plundered the vanquished. In our own day they are not fighting against one another at all. The war is waged by each ruling group against its own subjects, and the object of the war is not to make or prevent conquests of territory, but to keep the structure of society intact."
11
"First, how to memorialize the heroes of 9/11; second, something that expresses our resolve."
9
"As for us, during twenty years' reign, we have known much bitterness."
9
"It may be better to live under robber barons than omnipotent moral busybodies."
9
"The arrogance of officialdom should be tempered and controlled, and assistance to foreign hands should be curtailed, lest Rome fall."
8
"If you ever live in a country run by a committee, be on the committee."
8
"If you think that you are living in a stupid country, you can be sure that you are being governed by the most stupid people!"
7
"Its important to create an atmosphere where everybody can contribute. The energy of 125 crore Indians will take the nation ahead."
7
"We, in our Province, are beginning to realize and appreciate that our slowness in keeping up with our North American neighbours may well have been a blessing in disguise."
7
"Rand had changed a number of laws in Tear, especially those that weighed heavily on the poor, but he had been unable to change everything. He had not even known how to begin. Lews Therin began to maunder on about taxes and money creating jobs, but he might as well have been spilling out words at random for all the sense he made."
7
"Only being an administrator & controller is not enough. Everybody, at every level, has to be an agent of change. Initiatives have succeeded when 'Jan Bhagidari' is embraced."
7
"When there is no personal responsibility in any society, there cannot be a responsible government."
7
"The best Governments of the World have bin composed of Monarchy, Aristocracy, and Democracy."
6
"A year ago, a nation of 1.25 billion people voted for change and progress in the largest democratic election in human history. We are conscious that our challenges are vast across India's immense social and economic diversity but we draw confidence from the unity of our nation. Even more, we get our energy from the aspirations of a young India, with 800 million youth under the age of 35 years."
6
"Tonight - by taking this solemn oath - I am no longer a private citizen but the Mayor of the City of Chicago."
6
"As long as ordinary citizens are as corrupt as the politicians in their daily lifestyle, the country will continue to suffer."
6
"On top of the government-hierarchy you need an unpolluted group of scientists to give a nation the best direction."
5
"The government can make laws but they can't make people live by these laws."
5
"I contested elections on the issue of development. It's my conviction, it's my commitment. Youngsters of the country believe in development. And it is development that is the solution to all the problems."
5
"What is Maximum Governance, Minimum Government? It means government has no business to be in business."
5
"If a due participation of office is a matter of right how are vacancies to be obtained? Those by death are few by resignation none."
5
"The best thing to learn from any government is that it does not get affacted by what other people talk or think about it."
5
"The greatest policy is where there are no policies!"
5
"God himself made government and gave it an environment of the kingdom."
5
"This submission is a restraint of liberty, but could be of no effect as to the good intended, unless it were general; nor general, unless it were natural."
5
"The More Citizens Conform To The Law Of Love. The Less Governing Would Be Required."
4
"Earthly authorities respect only visible and tangible forces."
4
"A silver-tongued charlatan and a half-wit society are made for each other! When these two come together in an election, a great disaster happens: Charlatan comes to power!"
4
"Laws are partly formed for the sake of good men, in order to instruct them how they may live on friendly terms with one another, and partly for the sake of those who refuse to be instructed, whose spirit cannot be subdued, or softened, or hindered from plunging into evil."
4
"The sign of a good leader is easy to recognize, though it is hardly ever seen. For the greatest leaders are those who share as equals in the trials and struggles, the demands and expectations, the hills and trenches, the laws and punishments placed upon the backs of those governed. A great leader is motivated not by power but by compassion. Therefore he can do nothing but make himself a servant to those whom he rules. Such a leader is unequivocally respected, and loved for loving."
4
"Before (the NDA) came to power, there was an atmosphere of despair. Newspapers were filled with news of corruption. People had lost hope. But we changed the situation. And today, after two more years of our Government, I can say with certainty that there is hope not just in the people of this country, the trust of entire world has grown in India."
4
"My focus is on governance. Country has been at greatest loss because governments were run only for elections. Governments must not run only for elections. The government should be a bona fide attempt of meeting the demands and expectations of the common people."
4
"Take for instance, a society where the prevailing value system is that you only go into politics and leadership to serve and not to make money. In such a nation, people know that those who go into politics and leadership come out of it poorer than they went in."
4
"France will insist on the need for updated and responsive institutions."
4
"It is possible to have a rather tranquil political atmosphere in any given nation. The secret is to put truth and honesty as the foundation of the political structure in that nation."
4
"God rules through light."
4
"In any event, the sloppy and fatuous nature of American good will can never be relied upon to deal with hard problems. These have been dealt with, when they have been dealt with at all, out of necessity-and in political terms, anyway, necessity means concessions made in order to stay on top."
4
"My mantra is Development". It means food on every table, every child in school, a job for everybody and a house with toilet and electricity for every family. This can be achieved through unity. Unity strengthens us. Division weakens us."
4
"The absence of even rough agreement on the facts puts every opinion on equal footing and therefore eliminates the basis for thoughtful compromise. It rewards not those who are right, but those - like the White House press office - who can make their arguments most loudly, most frequently, most obstinately, and with the best backdrop."
4
"I would put our legislative and foreign policy accomplishments in our first two years against any president - with the possible exceptions of Johnson, FDR, and Lincoln - just in terms of what we've gotten done in modern history. But, you know, but when it comes to the economy, we've got a lot more work to do. And we're gonna keep on at it."
4
"Government programmes can't only be held in New Delhi. We have ventured out in the states & organised important programmes there."
3
"First, we need to focus government on the things that are required of the State. Second, we need to achieve competence in government so that the State delivers on the things it sets out to do."
3
"Development has to be achieved collectively and it has to be quick paced and inclusive."
3
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