--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As long as the government's actions are…" description: "\"As long as the government's actions are secret, it cannot be held accountable. A government for the people and by the people should be transparent to t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ffc/al-gore-609_action_as-long-as-the-government-s-actions-are_2269683.jpg" --- # As long as the government's actions are secret, it cannot… ![“As long as the government's actions are secret, it cannot be held accountable. A government for the people and by the people should be transparent to the people.” quote by Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ffc/al-gore-609_action_as-long-as-the-government-s-actions-are_2269683.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ffc/al-gore-609_action_as-long-as-the-government-s-actions-are_2269683.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ffc/al-gore-609_action_as-long-as-the-government-s-actions-are_2269683.jpg) > “As long as the government's actions are secret, it cannot be held accountable. A government for the people and by the people should be transparent to the people.” [Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He argues that secrecy prevents accountability, insisting democratic governance requires transparency. **In simple terms:** Secret actions evade accountability. Key Takeaway Demand openness from leaders. Themes government transparency accountability Mood urgent concerned Type political inspirational When to use this quote - political activism - journalism - public policy Key Concepts democracy public trust civic duty Questions to Reflect On - What mechanisms ensure government openness? - How can citizens hold secretive officials accountable? A Different Perspective Transparency can be compromised by national security claims. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Accountable Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accountable-government-292510/) [Action](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/) [Actions Secret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actions-secret-4996930/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Government Actions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government-actions-492926/) [Government For The People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government-for-the-people-213590/) [Government People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government-people-252839/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Secret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/secret/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) [Transparent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/transparent/) ## Related quotes > [“Be transparent in your actions, and secret in your plans”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/be-transparent-in-your-actions-and-secret-in-your-plans/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [When a government for the people becomes a government in spite of the people, then who are we really serving?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-speier/when-a-government-for-the-people-becomes-a-government-in-spite-of-the/) [Jackie Speier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-speier/) > [A government for the people must depend for its success on the intelligence, the morality, the justice, and the interest of the people themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grover-cleveland/a-government-for-the-people-must-depend-for-its-success-on-the/) [Grover Cleveland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grover-cleveland/) > [In the end the problem isn't that you have the wrong sort of government for the People, but that you have the wrong sort…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/in-the-end-the-problem-isn-t-that-you-have-the-wrong-sort-of/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [The District of Columbia is the one spot where there is no government for the people, of the people and by the people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/the-district-of-columbia-is-the-one-spot-where-there-is-no-government/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [The career politicians in Washington had transformed a government "for the people" into a government for themselves and for special interests.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-coburn/the-career-politicians-in-washington-had-transformed-a-government-for/) [Tom Coburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-coburn/) > [A man's most open actions have a secret side to them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/a-man-s-most-open-actions-have-a-secret-side-to-them/) [Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/) > [“accountable government does not come through elections. It comes through respect for law, through public spirit and through a culture of confession. To”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-scruton/accountable-government-does-not-come-through-elections-it-comes/) [Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/) > [I am firmly of the view that the Missouri citizens deserve transparent and accountable government, especially in the expenditure of their tax dollars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-hawley/i-am-firmly-of-the-view-that-the-missouri-citizens-deserve/) [Josh Hawley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-hawley/) > [If China someday gains a more fair, just, and accountable system of government, it will be due to the hard work and efforts of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-mackinnon/if-china-someday-gains-a-more-fair-just-and-accountable-system-of/) [Rebecca MacKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-mackinnon/) > [But make no mistake, the President will find in our new majority the voice of the American people as they've expressed it tonight: standing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-boehner/but-make-no-mistake-the-president-will-find-in-our-new-majority-the/) [John Boehner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-boehner/) > [Everybody wants the world to be a better place, and some think that government actions can bring that about. But they don't take into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-fama/everybody-wants-the-world-to-be-a-better-place-and-some-think-that/) [Eugene Fama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-fama/) > [By its nature, governments and taxes are not voluntary. Government actions are violent and coercive, and theft as well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-berwick/by-its-nature-governments-and-taxes-are-not-voluntary-government/) [Jeff Berwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-berwick/) > [You forget, living outside of a country, that the actions of the government are not the actions of the people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wilson/you-forget-living-outside-of-a-country-that-the-actions-of-the/) [Steven Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wilson/) > [Somewhere along the line, the actions of this government are the actions of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-penn/somewhere-along-the-line-the-actions-of-this-government-are-the/) [Sean Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-penn/) ## More by Al Gore > [Local and state governments have outrun the federal government. The EPA has served notice that it will enact a rule requiring CO2 reductions by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/local-and-state-governments-have-outrun-the-federal-government-the/) [Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/) > [Mother Nature does not do bailouts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/mother-nature-does-not-do-bailouts/) [Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/) > [The climate crisis is not a political issue, it is a moral and spiritual challenge to all of humanity. It is also our greatest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/the-climate-crisis-is-not-a-political-issue-it-is-a-moral-and/) [Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/) > [I decided to pick the diet that I thought would maximize my chances of long-term survival.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/i-decided-to-pick-the-diet-that-i-thought-would-maximize-my-chances/) [Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/) > [You know there's an old african proverb that i made up: "If you want to go quickly, go alone. If you want to go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/you-know-there-s-an-old-african-proverb-that-i-made-up-if-you-want-to/) [Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/) > [One tragic example of the loss of forests and then water is found in Ethiopia. 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Because he was entertaining,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/when-you-talk-about-president-trump-the-cable-networks-turned-over-so/) [Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/) > [Iraq does pose a serious threat to the stability of the Persian Gulf and we should organize an international coalition to eliminate his access…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/iraq-does-pose-a-serious-threat-to-the-stability-of-the-persian-gulf/) [Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/) > [There are skeptics who do not come to their view because they have a source of income from carbon polluters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/there-are-skeptics-who-do-not-come-to-their-view-because-they-have-a/) [Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/) > [Our civilization is experiencing unprecedented changes across many realms, largely due to the rapid advancement of information technology. The ability to code and understand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/our-civilization-is-experiencing-unprecedented-changes-across-many/) [Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/) > [There are many who would much prefer that the word 'climate' never be mentioned and that the issue be eliminated from our national conversation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/there-are-many-who-would-much-prefer-that-the-word-climate-never-be/) [Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/) > [As many know, the Chinese expression for "crisis" consists of two characters side by side. The first is the symbol for "danger," the second…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/as-many-know-the-chinese-expression-for-crisis-consists-of-two/) [Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/) > [I think George W. Bush has a warm, engaging personality. But, you know, the presidency is more than just a popularity contest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/i-think-george-w-bush-has-a-warm-engaging-personality-but-you-know/) [Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/) [Explore all 447 Al Gore quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/) ## More Action quotes > [I always say there are two things to be successful. The first is decide exactly what you want - set your goals - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/i-always-say-there-are-two-things-to-be-successful-the-first-is/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [You'd be surprised how hard it can often be to translate an action into an idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kraus/you-d-be-surprised-how-hard-it-can-often-be-to-translate-an-action/) [Karl Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kraus/) > [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. 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I like to bang the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/it-took-me-20-years-to-buy-an-electric-typewriter-because-i-was/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [Every action that helps us manifest our divine nature more and more is good; every action that retards it is evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/every-action-that-helps-us-manifest-our-divine-nature-more-and-more/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [As you begin changing your thinking, start immediately to change your behaviour. Begin to act the part of the person you would like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-you-begin-changing-your-thinking-start-immediately-to-change-your/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It's easy to say, let's go in and get the bad guys. But you have a divided country of Sunnis and Shias. 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