Responsible Government Quotes

“Where do human rights arise, anyway? In the sun, in the moon, in the daily paper, in the conscientious heart? They arise in responsible government. Where does security lie, anyway--security against the thief, the murderer, the footpad? In brotherly love? Not at all. It lies in government. Where does control lie--control of smoking in the theater, of nuclear energy in the planet? Control lies in government, because government is people.”
― E.B. White, The Wild Flag: Editorials from the New Yorker on Federal World Government and Other Matters

“Peace is not something to be kept, like a pet monkey; peace is the by-product of responsible government.”
― E.B. White, The Wild Flag: Editorials from the New Yorker on Federal World Government and Other Matters

“Human rights take shape and meaning when they are associated with representative government involving responsibility and duty. So far, the peace proposals do not include popular representation in the council and the assembly, and the people therefore assume no personal responsibility for anything and will therefore gain no personal rights. Commissions (stop us if we are wrong about this) cannot create human rights.”
― E.B. White, The Wild Flag: Editorials from the New Yorker on Federal World Government and Other Matters