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May 19, 2009
'Who will bell the cat?'
‘The object of a civilized community is to take responsibility. Fear of responsibility oppresses the mind and paralyzes the energy of half our public men and so we place the power of bearing responsibility among the highest of civic virtues. When we boast of our institutions we speak especially of the responsibility of their Government and we cherish an honest belief that every man who enters the public service has the terrors of responsibility before his eyes to stimulate him to extra exertion and to warn him of the smallest deflection from the path of duty.’
John Delane, editor of The Times, 1855, on the morning after the resignation of the entire Cabinet of the British Government
Posted by Perkins at May 19, 2009 9:15 AM
Comments
"The object of a civilized community is to take responsibility"
This nicely backs up my point about taking the personal responsibility to get the broom out of the cupboard and sweep the library steps if they are grubby, does it not?
Posted by: Exit, pursued by a Bear at May 19, 2009 2:19 PM