--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The work of democratic government is…" description: "\"The work of democratic government is routinely concerned with matters defined as troubles. In \"The Presidency and the Press\" I make the point, familiar..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/463/daniel-patrick-moynihan-8627_arrivals_the-work-of-democratic-government-is-rou_1444586.jpg" --- # The work of democratic government is routinely concerned… ![“The work of democratic government is routinely concerned with matters defined as troubles. In "The Presidency and the Press" I make the point, familiar to anyone who has flown about the world much, that the best quick test of the political nature of a regime is to read the local papers on arrival…” quote by Daniel Patrick Moynihan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/463/daniel-patrick-moynihan-8627_arrivals_the-work-of-democratic-government-is-rou_1444586.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/463/daniel-patrick-moynihan-8627_arrivals_the-work-of-democratic-government-is-rou_1444586.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/463/daniel-patrick-moynihan-8627_arrivals_the-work-of-democratic-government-is-rou_1444586.jpg) > “The work of democratic government is routinely concerned with matters defined as troubles. In "The Presidency and the Press" I make the point, familiar to anyone who has flown about the world much, that the best quick test of the political nature of a regime is to read the local papers on arrival. If they are filled with bad news, you have landed in a libertarian society of some sort. If, on the other hand, the press is filled with good news, it is a fair bet that the jails will be filled with good men.” [Daniel Patrick Moynihan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-patrick-moynihan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The press’s tone indicates a regime’s political nature: bad news suggests liberty, good news masks oppression. **In simple terms:** News tone reveals political freedom or control. Key Takeaway Read local media to gauge political climate. Themes media analysis political freedom press freedom regime assessment Mood skeptical analytical Type observational critical When to use this quote - travel - relocation - research - policy analysis - media monitoring Key Concepts political science journalism critical thinking Questions to Reflect On - What other indicators reveal a regime’s true nature? - How reliable is media tone as a metric? A Different Perspective Good news can be propaganda, not genuine freedom. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Arrivals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arrivals/) [Bad news](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-news/) [Concerned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/concerned/) [Defined](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defined/) [Democratic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democratic/) [Democratic government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democratic-government/) [Fairs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fairs/) [Familiar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/familiar/) [Filled](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/filled/) [Good man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-man/) [Good news](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-news/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Hands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hands/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Jail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jail/) [Journalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journalism/) [Landed Libertarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/landed-libertarian-5177888/) [Libertarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/libertarian/) [Locals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/locals/) [Matter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/matter/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [News](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/news/) [Paper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paper/) [Papers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/papers/) [Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political/) [Political Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political-nature-913595/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Presidency](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/presidency/) [Presses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/presses/) [Regimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/regimes/) [Tests](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tests/) [Trouble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trouble/) [Troubles Presidency](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/troubles-presidency-5177887/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [“The political nature of man made it highly unlikely that a society designed to meet regularly would remain peaceable. 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McMaster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-r-mcmaster/) > [Due to the political nature of film, partisan film making, especially where the subject is close to the film makers hart, tend to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-edwards/due-to-the-political-nature-of-film-partisan-film-making-especially/) [Ben Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-edwards/) > [“Programs of a political nature are important end products of social quality that can be effective only if the underlying structure of social values…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-pirsig/programs-of-a-political-nature-are-important-end-products-of-social/) [Robert M. Pirsig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-pirsig/) > [The political nature of 'Threepenny Opera' is immediately visible. I just think that that's not always a part of acceptable and fun entertainment that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sasha-velour/the-political-nature-of-threepenny-opera-is-immediately-visible-i/) [Sasha Velour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sasha-velour/) > [Political nature abhors a vacuum, which is what often exists for a year or two in a party after it loses a presidential election.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-will/political-nature-abhors-a-vacuum-which-is-what-often-exists-for-a/) [George Will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-will/) > [“It is too easy to call the church political. The nature of fallen people is political. And they happen to make up the church.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mea-mcmahon/it-is-too-easy-to-call-the-church-political-the-nature-of-fallen/) [Mea McMahon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mea-mcmahon/) > [ Factual truth is always related to other people \[...\]. It is political by nature. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-arendt/factual-truth-is-always-related-to-other-people-it-is-political-by/) [Hannah Arendt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-arendt/) > [I don't think it's the court's perceived role to do some explaining of a political nature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-day-o-connor/i-don-t-think-it-s-the-court-s-perceived-role-to-do-some-explaining/) [Sandra Day O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-day-o-connor/) > [“I think that if we are going to reform the world, and make it a better place to live in, the way to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-pirsig/i-think-that-if-we-are-going-to-reform-the-world-and-make-it-a-better/) [Robert M. Pirsig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-pirsig/) > [The issues of political nature should be solved in any country, including in Syria, primarily by its people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/the-issues-of-political-nature-should-be-solved-in-any-country/) [Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/) > [“A politician in our democratic government is a broker for the use of government force to the highest bidders.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erne-lewis/a-politician-in-our-democratic-government-is-a-broker-for-the-use-of/) [Erne Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erne-lewis/) > [Secrecy and a free, democratic government don't mix.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/secrecy-and-a-free-democratic-government-don-t-mix/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [The American influence is not so aggressive anymore. 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The department of state desired that the UN…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-patrick-moynihan/the-us-wished-things-to-turn-out-as-they-did-and-worked-to-bring-this/) [Daniel Patrick Moynihan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-patrick-moynihan/) > [People who pierce the veil of money rarely return with their faculties altogether intact.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-patrick-moynihan/people-who-pierce-the-veil-of-money-rarely-return-with-their/) [Daniel Patrick Moynihan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-patrick-moynihan/) > [We have the right to our own opinions, but not our own facts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-patrick-moynihan/we-have-the-right-to-our-own-opinions-but-not-our-own-facts/) [Daniel Patrick Moynihan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-patrick-moynihan/) > [A commonplace of political rhetoric has it that the quality of a civilization may be measured by how it cares for its elderly. 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Harvard men were to be checked; Fordham…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-patrick-moynihan/in-the-era-of-security-clearances-to-be-an-irish-catholic-became/) [Daniel Patrick Moynihan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-patrick-moynihan/) > [What the press never does say is who the leaker is and why he wants the story leaked. Yet, more often than not, this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-patrick-moynihan/what-the-press-never-does-say-is-who-the-leaker-is-and-why-he-wants/) [Daniel Patrick Moynihan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-patrick-moynihan/) > [When a person goes to a country and finds their newspapers filled with nothing but good news, he can bet there are good men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-patrick-moynihan/when-a-person-goes-to-a-country-and-finds-their-newspapers-filled/) [Daniel Patrick Moynihan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-patrick-moynihan/) > [To be Irish is to know that in the end the world will break your heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-patrick-moynihan/to-be-irish-is-to-know-that-in-the-end-the-world-will-break-your-heart/) [Daniel Patrick Moynihan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-patrick-moynihan/) > [I can live with the robber barons, but how do you live with these pathological radicals?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-patrick-moynihan/i-can-live-with-the-robber-barons-but-how-do-you-live-with-these/) [Daniel Patrick Moynihan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-patrick-moynihan/) > [The world's largest debtor is a distinction of sorts, but not the one we like having.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-patrick-moynihan/the-world-s-largest-debtor-is-a-distinction-of-sorts-but-not-the-one/) [Daniel Patrick Moynihan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-patrick-moynihan/) > [The institution of the family is decisive in determining not only if a person has the capacity to love another individual but in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-patrick-moynihan/the-institution-of-the-family-is-decisive-in-determining-not-only-if/) [Daniel Patrick Moynihan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-patrick-moynihan/) > [The liberal left can be as rigid and destructive as any force in American life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-patrick-moynihan/the-liberal-left-can-be-as-rigid-and-destructive-as-any-force-in/) [Daniel Patrick Moynihan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-patrick-moynihan/) [Explore all 79 Daniel Patrick Moynihan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-patrick-moynihan/) ## More Arrivals quotes > [You are quite, quite wrong if you think that ... I find your happiness painful. What matters is that happiness - the golden day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winifred-holtby/you-are-quite-quite-wrong-if-you-think-that-i-find-your-happiness/) [Winifred Holtby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winifred-holtby/) > [Arrival = Prison, and the artist must never be a prisoner.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-matisse/arrival-prison-and-the-artist-must-never-be-a-prisoner/) [Henri Matisse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-matisse/) > [I see ... a pile of skulls and bones. For the first time since my arrival, what I see before me is too painful,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dith-pran/i-see-a-pile-of-skulls-and-bones-for-the-first-time-since-my-arrival/) [Dith Pran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dith-pran/) > [The future turns out to be something that you make instead of find. It isn't waiting for your arrival, either with an arrest warrant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-h-lapham/the-future-turns-out-to-be-something-that-you-make-instead-of-find-it/) [Lewis H. Lapham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-h-lapham/) > [The beauty of inspiration for me is that you can't predict when it's coming. I like that it just pops up out of nowhere.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scout-niblett/the-beauty-of-inspiration-for-me-is-that-you-can-t-predict-when-it-s/) [Scout Niblett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scout-niblett/) > [“When you are waiting for a train, don't keep perpetually looking to see if it is coming. The time of its arrival is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-you-are-waiting-for-a-train-don-t-keep-perpetually-looking-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Upon my arrival in the United States the religious aspect of the country was the first thing that struck my attention; and the longer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/upon-my-arrival-in-the-united-states-the-religious-aspect-of-the/) [Alexis de Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/) > [Unconscious of your story, you are in its grasp; but with consciousness, an alchemical process begins: The solidity of the complex dissolves and you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/connie-zweig/unconscious-of-your-story-you-are-in-its-grasp-but-with-consciousness/) [Connie Zweig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/connie-zweig/) > [Life is a continual process of arrival into who we are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-popova/life-is-a-continual-process-of-arrival-into-who-we-are/) [Maria Popova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-popova/) > [Prison is a severe and terrible punishment; but for me, thanks to Arthur Balfour, this was not so. I was much cheered on my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/prison-is-a-severe-and-terrible-punishment-but-for-me-thanks-to/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [Death in Somalia seldom bothers to announce its arrival. In fact, death calls with the arrogance of a guest confident on receiving a warm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nuruddin-farah/death-in-somalia-seldom-bothers-to-announce-its-arrival-in-fact-death/) [Nuruddin Farah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nuruddin-farah/) > [The arrival of Ade Akinbiyi gave everyone a lift. He's a natural born goalscorer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trevor-francis/the-arrival-of-ade-akinbiyi-gave-everyone-a-lift-he-s-a-natural-born/) [Trevor Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trevor-francis/) > [many writers believe in arrival without leaving home. They believe in talent but not skill.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judy-delton/many-writers-believe-in-arrival-without-leaving-home-they-believe-in/) [Judy Delton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judy-delton/) > [We become, after the arrival of the printing press in general, more attentive more attuned to contemplative ways of thinking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-g-carr/we-become-after-the-arrival-of-the-printing-press-in-general-more/) [Nicholas G. Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-g-carr/) > [Our tomorrows must be met at the time of their arrival... with the HOPE they are as BEAUTIFUL as today!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-peterson/our-tomorrows-must-be-met-at-the-time-of-their-arrival-with-the-hope/) [Joe Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-peterson/) [Browse all 173 Arrivals quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arrivals/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The work of democratic government is routinely concerned with matters defined as troubles. In \"The Presidency and the Press\" I make the point, familiar to anyone who has flown about the world much, that the best quick test of the political nature of a regime is to read the local papers on arrival. If they are filled with bad news, you have landed in a libertarian society of some sort. 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