Authority Crisis Quotes

New and old major powers face still yet another novel reality – in some respects, unprecedented. And it is that while the lethality, the lethality, of their power is greater than ever, their capacity to impose control over the politically awakened masses of the world is at a historic low …. in earlier times, it was easier to control a million people than physically to kill one million people; today, it is infinitely easier to kill a million people than to control a million people.

Nothing had done more to prevent the restoration of political equilibrium of law and order, under a strong central authority, than the ascendancy in public affairs of the student class, and particularly that undisciplined section of it which combines crude ideas of Republicanism with a smattering of Western science.

An uncontrollable situation, in which there are no clearly defined spheres of authority, has come about in the country. Under these conditions, normal life is impossible.

For the first time in my life, I have to grab the monks by the throat. Me! The most religious man in the Kingdom! Because I've had enough- more than enough! My subjects and the elite among my subjects must obey!

I think we are realising that governments can't govern us any more.

The quarrel between the colonies and the British government seems to become more serious every day ... It may prove the most fatal blow to the authority of the metropolis.

Governments whose authority is ebbing have been increasingly brazen in their attempts to silence critics.

The present crisis in the Islamic world may stem from too many loud and conflicting voices, all claiming religious authority.

It seems that the rebels found the chaos of transition more difficult to accept than the tyranny they had known before. They joyfully welcomed back authority-even oppressive authority-for it was less painful for them than uncertainty.

In the weakness of one kind of authority, and in the fluctuation of all, the officers of an army will remain for some time mutinous and full of faction, until some popular general, who understands the art of conciliating the soldiery, and who possesses the true spirit of command, shall draw the eyes of all men upon himself. Armies will obey him on his personal account. There is no other way of securing military obedience in this state of things.

If I am your leader, you have to listen to me & if you don’t want to listen to me, then drop me as your leader

When legitimately constituted state authority stands down in the face of armed threats, the very foundation of the republic is in danger.

Let me ask, who died and made him king? Who gave him the authority to endanger 300 million Americans? That's not the way it works, and if he thinks he can get away with that, he's got another think coming.

Awakenings occur when we lose faith in the viability of our institutions and the authority of our leaders. Religious and spiritual awakening gives people a new vision of themselves, which is then transplanted into social action.

I think there is a modern temper. The authority figures we revered in the past are all up for grabs - they're gone. We are groping for meaning in a world where some of our gods have died. We're asking ourselves, 'Who is our true brother and sister, where is our true home?' The modern tempter is our struggle to lead meaningful lives, and even if we don't believe in religion, we can reach down and hold on to our core values for guidance.

Depose him,’ said Will Scott, astonished. ‘The Grand Master’s holy office terminates with his life.’ ‘And can nobody think of an answer to that?’ said Will Scott.

Government loses its claim to legitimacy when it fails to fulfill its obligations.

It is easier for me to have faith in the Bible than to have faith in D.L. Moody, for Moody has failed me lots of times.

The burnt odor in Washington is from the disintegrating authority of the governing classes.

[Barack] Obama was reaching a point [with Syria bombing] where he might not have been able to carry it off.He was losing support internally, and was compelled to send the vote to Congress, and it looked as if he was going to be defeated, which would have been a very serious blow to his presidency, to his authority.

You know, you'd hide behind a Public Enemy or Ice Cube, or Bruce Springsteen, or U2, because they spoke for you. But now everybody's bloggin'. I heard somebody say, "Blogging is just graffiti with punctuation." Everyone's an authority so there's nobody in power, 'cause everyone thinks they're in power.

The Palestinian Authority has no authority.

When authority itself is in question, the middle gives way.

The difficulty that contestation must be done in the name of an authority is resolved this: I contest in the name of contestation what experience itself is.

I see there is a people risen that I cannot win with gifts or honours, offices or places; but all other sects and people I can.