One of the little-celebrated powers of Presidents (and other high government officials) is to listen to their critics with just enough sympathy to ensure their silence.
John Kenneth GalbraithRead
You will find that the State is the kind of organization which, though it does big things badly, does small things badly, too.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote suggests that bureaucratic organizations, like the state, often struggle with efficiency regardless of the size of the task.
John Kenneth Galbraith highlights the inefficiencies inherent in governmental organizations. He points out that the state fails to execute both large and small tasks effectively, reflecting a broader criticism of bureaucratic systems where complexity and size do not ensure competence.
Themes
GovernmentBureaucracyInefficiencyOrganizationCritique
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about government funding and efficiency, this quote could highlight the challenges in public administration.
More from John Kenneth Galbraith
All quotes →If all else fails, immortality can always be assured by spectacular error.
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The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness.
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People of privilege will always risk their complete destruction rather than surrender any material part of their advantage.
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