Institutional Skepticism Quotes

Always love your country - but never trust your government!

I was in government for 13 years and in that time only once met the head of the German security services, and that was because he was an old friend. Otherwise, I carefully avoided having anything to do with these people. They are unavoidable but not really necessary.

I believe in Christianity, Judaism and Islamism, but I stay away from churches, synagogues and mosques.

On the whole, the Anglican Church gives a question for every answer.

There is something about a bureaucrat that does not like a poem.

The peasant has learned not to rely on assistance from without, but to walk on his own feet. Socially he is conservative. He wishes to keep his land and enjoy the fruits of his labor. For generations institutions of government were to him an outside factor, for which he cared little.

We must, then, apply the principle of Doubt to Civilization; we must doubt its necessity, its excellence, and its permanence.

We ought to remain skeptical of our own institutions.

Everything that is large and institutional should be distrusted, even though it may be the best around. The Internal Revenue Service doesn't trust me, so why should I trust them? It's a quid pro quo arrangement.