Power corrupts, and there is nothing more corrupting than power exercised in secret.
Daniel SchorrRead
I have no doubt that the nation has suffered more from undue secrecy than from undue disclosure. The government takes good care of itself.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote suggests that excessive secrecy does more harm to a nation than transparency might.
Daniel Schorr's quote emphasizes the dangers of governmental secrecy and implies that a lack of transparency can lead to greater societal issues than the sharing of information might. He asserts that while governments often prioritize self-protection, it is the withholding of information that ultimately harms the nation more than any potential fallout from disclosure.
Themes
SecrecyTransparencyGovernmentTrustSociety
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about government accountability, one might say, 'As Daniel Schorr wisely pointed out, we suffer more from undue secrecy than from undue disclosure.'
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