Management Quote by David Halberstam
““He and Willoughby preferred that the Pentagon and the Truman administration be completely dependent upon them for any information about what was going on in their area of Asia—with no countervailing intelligence to limit his hand. Control intelligence, and you control decision-making.””
About This Quote
Source Book: The Pentagon Papers, David Halberstam, 1971
Control of intelligence leads to control of decisions; centralizing information gives power to those who hold it.
In simple terms: Information control equals power.
Guard against concentration of intelligence.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- government policy
- military strategy
- corporate governance
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- Who decides what information is shared?
- How can transparency be ensured?
Over-centralization can suppress dissent and cause abuse.