The public think the politicians don't know or care about their lives; and the politicians feel misunderstood.
Tony BlairRead
Power without principle is barren, but principle without power is futile. This is a party of government, and I will lead it as a party of government.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote emphasizes that having power without moral principles is ineffective, while having principles without the means to implement them is pointless.
Tony Blair's quote reflects on the dual necessity of power and principle in governance. It suggests that effective leadership requires a balance of the ability to exercise authority responsibly and the adherence to ethical guidelines. A leader must embrace power as a tool for implementing principles, while principles without the means to enact them are rendered powerless and irrelevant in a political context.
Themes
PowerPrincipleLeadershipGovernanceEthics
In practice
Example use cases
This quote could be used in a speech about effective leadership at a political conference.
More from Tony Blair
All quotes βThere is no meeting of minds, no point of understanding with such terror. Just a choice: Defeat it or be defeated by it. And defeat it we must.
Tony BlairRead
Ask me my three main priorities for government, and I tell you: education, education and education.
Tony BlairRead
However much I dislike the idea of abortion, you should not criminalize a woman who, in very difficult circumstances, makes that choice.
Tony BlairRead
I want my son to grow up in a place where the people are more powerful than the government and not the other way around.
Tony BlairRead
The blunt truth about the politics of climate change is that no country will want to sacrifice its economy in order to meet this challenge.
Tony BlairRead
Similar quotes
There is small risk a general will be regarded with contempt by those he leads, if, whatever he may have to preach, he shows himself best able to perform.
XenophonRead
Earn your leadership every day.
Michael JordanRead
For success of any mission, it is necessary to have creative leadership. Creative leadership is vital for government, non-governmental organisations as well as for industries.
A. P. J. Abdul KalamRead
The responsibility of leadership is not to come up with all the ideas but to create an environment in which great ideas can thrive.
Simon SinekRead
You cannot be in a position of power and destroy the life of another person.
Pope FrancisRead
If there's one thing I can't stand, it's a quarterback who thinks playing quarterback is just about passing.
Bill ParcellsRead