---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: No more distressing moment can ever face…"
description: "\"No more distressing moment can ever face a British government than that which requires it to come to a hard, fast and specific decision.\" — Barbara Tuc..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b4d/barbara-tuchman-3945_british_no-more-distressing-moment-can-ever-face_2600497.png"
---

#  No more distressing moment can ever face a British…

![“No more distressing moment can ever face a British government than that which requires it to come to a hard, fast and specific decision.” quote by Barbara Tuchman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b4d/barbara-tuchman-3945_british_no-more-distressing-moment-can-ever-face_2600497.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b4d/barbara-tuchman-3945_british_no-more-distressing-moment-can-ever-face_2600497.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b4d/barbara-tuchman-3945_british_no-more-distressing-moment-can-ever-face_2600497.png)

> “No more distressing moment can ever face a British government than that which requires it to come to a hard, fast and specific decision.”

[Barbara Tuchman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-tuchman/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

British government avoids hard, fast decisions during crises.

**In simple terms:** Government hesitates on decisive action.

Key Takeaway

Encourage decisive leadership.

Themes

politics crisis decision‑making

Mood

critical historical

Type

political analytical

When to use this quote

- policy planning
- emergency response

Key Concepts

history governance

Questions to Reflect On

- What causes governmental inertia?
- How to balance speed and deliberation?

A Different Perspective

Decisions may be rushed and flawed.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[British](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/british/) [British government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/british-government/) [Decision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decision/) [Distressing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/distressing/) [Distressing Moment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/distressing-moment-1940138/) [Faces](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faces/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Government Requires](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government-requires-1940137/) [Hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard/) [Moments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moments/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Specific Decision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/specific-decision-1940139/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/)

## Related quotes

> [The British government has learned that Saddam Hussein recently sought significant quantities of uranium from Africa.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/the-british-government-has-learned-that-saddam-hussein-recently/)

[George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/)

> [We say to the British government: you have kept those sculptures for almost two centuries. You have cared for them as well as you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melina-mercouri/we-say-to-the-british-government-you-have-kept-those-sculptures-for/)

[Melina Mercouri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melina-mercouri/)

> [Interestingly, the British government announced a few weeks ago that they were going to introduce 500 educational targets for preschool children. And teachers complained…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-icke/interestingly-the-british-government-announced-a-few-weeks-ago-that/)

[David Icke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-icke/)

> [ The British government - any government - is potentially the worst \[architectural\] client in the world. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-heatherwick/the-british-government-any-government-is-potentially-the-worst/)

[Thomas Heatherwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-heatherwick/)

> [Unless the Arab states give Israel formal recognition, within secure, recognised and mutually agreed boundaries, as a permanent feature of the geography and politics…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-crosland/unless-the-arab-states-give-israel-formal-recognition-within-secure/)

[Anthony Crosland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-crosland/)

> [The British government needs to bring its system in Ireland under control.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-mcguinness/the-british-government-needs-to-bring-its-system-in-ireland-under/)

[Martin McGuinness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-mcguinness/)

> [When I learned that aliens really do exist, I wasn't too surprised. But what did shock me when I started investigating extra-terrestrial reports a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-mitchell/when-i-learned-that-aliens-really-do-exist-i-wasn-t-too-surprised-but/)

[Edgar Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-mitchell/)

> [There is no part of the administration of government that requires extensive information and a thorough knowledge of the principles of political economy, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-hamilton/there-is-no-part-of-the-administration-of-government-that-requires/)

[Alexander Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-hamilton/)

> [Government requires bringing people together and genuinely hearing their issues. It requires the establishment and strengthening of community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hickenlooper/government-requires-bringing-people-together-and-genuinely-hearing/)

[John Hickenlooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hickenlooper/)

> [The Republican form of government is the highest form of government: but because of this it requires the highest type of human nature, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/the-republican-form-of-government-is-the-highest-form-of-government/)

[Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/)

> [A government which requires of the people the contribution of the bulk of their substance and rewards cannot be classed as a free government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-coolidge/a-government-which-requires-of-the-people-the-contribution-of-the/)

[Calvin Coolidge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-coolidge/)

> [Democratic government requires the consent of the governed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcdonnell/democratic-government-requires-the-consent-of-the-governed/)

[John McDonnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcdonnell/)

> [A republican form of government requires four standards: It demands a highly educated population manifesting critical thinking that participates in the affairs of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frosty-wooldridge/a-republican-form-of-government-requires-four-standards-it-demands-a/)

[Frosty Wooldridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frosty-wooldridge/)

> [To form a new Government, requires infinite care, and unbounded attention; for if the foundation is badly laid the superstructure must be bad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/to-form-a-new-government-requires-infinite-care-and-unbounded/)

[George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/)

> [A nation under a well regulated government, should permit none to remain uninstructed. It is monarchical and aristocratical government only that requires ignorance for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/a-nation-under-a-well-regulated-government-should-permit-none-to/)

[Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/)

## More by Barbara Tuchman

> [While husbands and lovers in the stories are of all kinds, ranging from sympathetic to disgusting, women are invariably deceivers: inconstant, unscrupulous, quarrelsome, querulous,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-tuchman/while-husbands-and-lovers-in-the-stories-are-of-all-kinds-ranging/)

[Barbara Tuchman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-tuchman/)

> [Doctrine tied itself into infinite knots over the realities of sex.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-tuchman/doctrine-tied-itself-into-infinite-knots-over-the-realities-of-sex/)

[Barbara Tuchman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-tuchman/)

> [The fleet sailed to its war base in the North Sea, headed not so much for some rendezvous with glory as for rendezvous with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-tuchman/the-fleet-sailed-to-its-war-base-in-the-north-sea-headed-not-so-much/)

[Barbara Tuchman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-tuchman/)

> [Learning from experience is a faculty almost never practiced](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-tuchman/learning-from-experience-is-a-faculty-almost-never-practiced/)

[Barbara Tuchman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-tuchman/)

> [War is the unfolding of miscalculations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-tuchman/war-is-the-unfolding-of-miscalculations/)

[Barbara Tuchman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-tuchman/)

> [The poets have familiarized more people with history than have the historians.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-tuchman/the-poets-have-familiarized-more-people-with-history-than-have-the/)

[Barbara Tuchman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-tuchman/)

> [Money was the crux. Raising money to pay the cost of war was to cause more damage to 14th century society than the physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-tuchman/money-was-the-crux-raising-money-to-pay-the-cost-of-war-was-to-cause/)

[Barbara Tuchman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-tuchman/)

> [Misgovernment is of four kinds, often in combination. They are: 1) tyranny or oppression, of which history provides so many well-known examples that they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-tuchman/misgovernment-is-of-four-kinds-often-in-combination-they-are-1/)

[Barbara Tuchman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-tuchman/)

> [The power to command frequently causes failure to think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-tuchman/the-power-to-command-frequently-causes-failure-to-think/)

[Barbara Tuchman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-tuchman/)

> [We seem to be afflicted by a widespread and eroding reluctance to take any stand on any values, moral, behavioral or esthetic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-tuchman/we-seem-to-be-afflicted-by-a-widespread-and-eroding-reluctance-to/)

[Barbara Tuchman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-tuchman/)

> [ The clergy \[in the 14th century\] on the whole were probably no more lecherous or greedy or untrustworthy than other men, but because they… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-tuchman/the-clergy-in-the-14th-century-on-the-whole-were-probably-no-more/)

[Barbara Tuchman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-tuchman/)

> [Without books, history is silent, literature dumb, science crippled.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-tuchman/without-books-history-is-silent-literature-dumb-science-crippled/)

[Barbara Tuchman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-tuchman/)

> [Words are seductive and dangerous material, to be used with caution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-tuchman/words-are-seductive-and-dangerous-material-to-be-used-with-caution/)

[Barbara Tuchman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-tuchman/)

> [“German soldiers, posted as informers, were found dressed as peasants, even as peasant women. The latter were discovered, presumably in the course of non-military…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-tuchman/german-soldiers-posted-as-informers-were-found-dressed-as-peasants/)

[Barbara Tuchman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-tuchman/)

> [I ask myself, have nations ever declined from a loss of moral sense rather than from physical reasons or the pressure of barbarians? I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-tuchman/i-ask-myself-have-nations-ever-declined-from-a-loss-of-moral-sense/)

[Barbara Tuchman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-tuchman/)

[Explore all 119 Barbara Tuchman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-tuchman/)

## More British quotes

> [I'd love to work in the States; I'd love to work anywhere where you get a good script and a good part to play.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-carmichael/i-d-love-to-work-in-the-states-i-d-love-to-work-anywhere-where-you/)

[Laura Carmichael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-carmichael/)

> [I shot for French and British Vogue. The British Vogue one featured clothes by Chloe and was shot at Highgate and the John Soane…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nan-goldin/i-shot-for-french-and-british-vogue-the-british-vogue-one-featured/)

[Nan Goldin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nan-goldin/)

> [We can find common qualities and common values that have made Britain the country it is. Our belief in tolerance and liberty which shines…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-brown/we-can-find-common-qualities-and-common-values-that-have-made-britain/)

[Gordon Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-brown/)

> [ No wonder that Churchill described this effort \[the British codebreakers working at Bletchley Park\] as "Britian"s secret weapon," a weapon far more effective than… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-hilton/no-wonder-that-churchill-described-this-effort-the-british/)

[Peter Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-hilton/)

> [When we first sold the Wallace and Gromit shorts to America, people suggested we get rid of the strange British accents and put clear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-park/when-we-first-sold-the-wallace-and-gromit-shorts-to-america-people/)

[Nick Park](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-park/)

> [I always wanted to make a 'James Bond' film, and they only seemed to hire British directors, and I'd made 'Swingers' - they were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-liman/i-always-wanted-to-make-a-james-bond-film-and-they-only-seemed-to/)

[Doug Liman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-liman/)

> [Somebody said that part of my reaction to British cinema is actually, paradoxically, a patriotic one. I'm so disappointed that we're not better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-brownlow/somebody-said-that-part-of-my-reaction-to-british-cinema-is-actually/)

[Kevin Brownlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-brownlow/)

> [All the cliches of glamorous sophistication have little appeal to me. Do I want to live the British version of 'Dynasty?' No thanks!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sade-adu/all-the-cliches-of-glamorous-sophistication-have-little-appeal-to-me/)

[Sade Adu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sade-adu/)

> [British Forces should be in a position to give back in a ten fold measure any attack that the Germans may attempt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-banting/british-forces-should-be-in-a-position-to-give-back-in-a-ten-fold/)

[Frederick Banting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-banting/)

> [Although I don't have anything against people from other countries, the higher the influx into England the more the British identity disappears.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/although-i-don-t-have-anything-against-people-from-other-countries/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [It could be my British need for discipline that makes me admire the American appetite for freedom and passion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-winwood/it-could-be-my-british-need-for-discipline-that-makes-me-admire-the/)

[Steve Winwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-winwood/)

> [While we like to think queueing is unique to British culture, the truth is that we are mere amateurs. The old Soviet Union turned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-hartley-brewer/while-we-like-to-think-queueing-is-unique-to-british-culture-the/)

[Julia Hartley-Brewer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-hartley-brewer/)

> [The American Constitution declares 'All men are born equal.' The British Socialist Party add: 'All men must be kept equal'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/the-american-constitution-declares-all-men-are-born-equal-the-british/)

[Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/)

> [The whole nuclear-arms-control and non-proliferation policy of the nuclear powers is a fraud: The Americans could not prevent the Soviets from replicating their weaponry,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conrad-black/the-whole-nuclear-arms-control-and-non-proliferation-policy-of-the/)

[Conrad Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conrad-black/)

> [There just seems to be more acceptance now of other kinds of British films, than the picture-postcard ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-roth/there-just-seems-to-be-more-acceptance-now-of-other-kinds-of-british/)

[Tim Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-roth/)

[Browse all 3,149 British quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/british/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "No more distressing moment can ever face a British government than that which requires it to come to a hard, fast and specific decision.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Barbara Tuchman"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-tuchman/no-more-distressing-moment-can-ever-face-a-british-government-than/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "British"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-tuchman/no-more-distressing-moment-can-ever-face-a-british-government-than/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b4d/barbara-tuchman-3945_british_no-more-distressing-moment-can-ever-face_2600497.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b4d/barbara-tuchman-3945_british_no-more-distressing-moment-can-ever-face_2600497.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b4d/barbara-tuchman-3945_british_no-more-distressing-moment-can-ever-face_2600497.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“No more distressing moment can ever face a British government than that which requires it to come to a hard…” — Barbara Tuchman",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Barbara Tuchman",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-tuchman/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "No more distressing moment can ever...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-tuchman/no-more-distressing-moment-can-ever-face-a-british-government-than/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-tuchman/no-more-distressing-moment-can-ever-face-a-british-government-than/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
