Confucius Quotes

Obedience to lawful authority is the foundation of manly character.

Obedience to the law is itself a moral duty.

I know some say, let us have good laws, and no matter for the men that execute them: but let them consider, that though good laws do well, good men do better: for good laws may want good men, and be abolished or evaded by ill mend but good men will never want good laws, nor suffer ill ones.

I'm not a politician. I don't want to be a politician, because politicians do what is politically expedient. I want to do what's right.

Justice is the first virtue of those who command, and stops the complaints of those who obey.

Good people do not need laws to tell them to act responsibly, while bad people will find a way around the laws.

I don't claim any moral or ethical high ground, but I also have chosen not to run for public office. Shouldn't there be a higher standard of conduct for public officials?

Public life is a situation of power and energy; he trespasses against his duty who sleeps upon his watch as he that goes over to the enemy.

The trust that goes with public service is a heavy burden on those who would lead us.

The whole art of government consists in the art of being honest.

People hold elected officials to a higher ethical standard than most others.

An honest man in politics shines more there than he would elsewhere.

We’re not here to bring politics to our morality, but to bring morality to our politics.

The best citizens were supposed to desire honest men in office, men who would not take bribes, men who would appoint high-minded men as their subordinates, men who would look after the public interest, see that public charities were well supported.

Politics is not the nicest business, but there are still times when people do the right thing.

There are no good and bad peoples; there are only leaderships that behave responsibly or insanely.

A deep concern of mine is that leaders in the technology sector have not developed a culture that insists upon courage, honor, duty, and humility - what we might call a culture of virtue.

Actors have a social responsibility.

It is now, more than ever, necessary that political leaders be outstanding for honesty, integrity and commitment to the common good.

Integrity is honesty carried through the fibres of the being and the whole mind, into thought as well as action so that the person is complete in honesty. That kind of integrity I put above all else as an essential to leadership.

An honest man can feel no pleasure in the exercise of power over his fellow citizens.

Would that the simple maxim, that honesty is the best policy, might be laid to heart; that a sense of the true aim of life might elevate the tone of politics and trade till public and private honor become identical.

I am not interested in power for power's sake, but I'm interested in power that is moral, that is right and that is good.

Society is well governed when its people obey the magistrates, and the magistrates obey the law.

I thank God that I left office the same way I came in: with integrity.