Tony Judt Quotes

How can we decide matters of public policy when we cannot understand them?

The legitimate object of government, is to do for a community of people, whatever they need to have done, but can not do, at all, or can not, so well do, for themselves -- in their separate, and individual capacities....In all that the people can individually do for themselves, government ought not interfere.

A society - any society - is defined as a set of mutual benefits and duties embodied most visibly in public institutions: public schools, public libraries, public transportation, public hospitals, public parks, public museums, public recreation, public universities, and so on.

When you're fund-raising for schools, then something's wrong. We seem to have lost some sort of sense of what the common good is, and if you don't have a sense of what the common good is, then at least give to what you think your specific goods are.

That’s the function of government—to do for people what they cannot do for themselves.

The government doesn't have to solve everyone's problem here.

There are a lot of good causes out there, but they can't possibly all be served by government.

I've always believed as a value that the government has a vital - not overwhelming, but vital - role to play in furthering human welfare and good. I think we have an important supportive role to play, hopefully intelligent and sensible.

Some things are too important to be left to the private sector.

When we empower our communities, we are all better off.

It is perfectly true that that government is best which governs least. It is equally true that that government is best which provides most.

It would be foolish to suggest that government is a good custodian of aesthetic goals. But, there is no alternative to the state.

I happen to agree with many of the liberal emphasis on compassion, justice and equality. I just disagree that it's the government's role to provide everything.

Canada was built from its very beginnings on the belief that public leadership in the economy and on social issues would be as effective and cheap as anything done by the private sector.

When government tries to serve as a parent or teacher or a moral guide, individuals may be tempted to discard their own sense of responsibility, to argue that only government must help people in need. If we've learned anything in the past quarter century, it is that we cannot federalize virtue.

The job of government must be to provide the rules and the climate that will let the system work.

Government is a progressive instrument for the common good.

We need government to do for the people what they cannot do for themselves.

We can't talk about community values without being prepared to invest in those very same communities.

Get people to think about the benefits of government rather than taxes.

If you asked a Singaporean, on the one hand they'll say, 'Let us do our own things.' On the other hand, when an issue comes out, they'll ask, 'What is the government doing about it?'

Nothing will be beyond our reach when we make the flames of creating positive deeds flare up across the country with the virtues of the young vanguard as the initial spark and bring into full play the mounting vigour of the millions of young people.

The more aspects of life that can be moved from private reign to public realm, the better it is for politics.

The Indian state has to be minimalist in regulatory interventions in social and economic matters; maximalist in providing the quality of life needs; and optimal in the maintenance of law and order.

You go to your public library, or you call your fire department or police department, what do you think you are calling? These are socialist institutions.