Body Quote by Ezra Pound
“Bureaucrats are a pox. They are supposed to be necessary. Certain chemicals in the body are supposed to be necessary to life, but cause death the moment they increase beyond a suitable limit”
About This Quote
Source Poem: “Bureaucrats,” 1913
Bureaucrats, like essential chemicals, become harmful when they exceed their proper limits, illustrating the danger of over‑regulation.
In simple terms: Too much bureaucracy is toxic.
Key Takeaway
Balance necessary structures with flexibility.
Themes
bureaucracy
balance
danger
Mood
critical
analytical
Type
philosophical
observational
When to use this quote
- government policy
- corporate management
- public health
Key Concepts
systems theory
organizational health
Questions to Reflect On
- What mechanisms prevent bureaucratic overload?
- How can essential functions stay effective?
A Different Perspective
Excessive control can stifle innovation.
![“I thought, how would I feel if my son gave one of those [underprivileged] kids chicken pox? For him it's not a terrible thing. We have good insurance and easy access to health care. It's a different situation for another family. I didn't want to make the decision for them.” quote by Eula Biss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/16f/eula-biss-12946_access_i-thought-how-would-i-feel-if-my-son-gav_754757.jpg)
![“Depressions are very cyclical, they happen once every five years. When I was on TV, yes I was effervescent, you can't fake it. It [depression] comes like the pox.” quote by Ruby Wax](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/715/ruby-wax-18576_depression_depressions-are-very-cyclical-they-happe_616519.jpg)
![“I've used the Phoenix Centrifuge to replicate what the body's going to go through on the flight up. I've also done some gravity tests with ZERO-G [a charter-flight service in Arlington, Va., that uses modified Boeing 727s to simulate weightlessness], which went great.” quote by Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/aa1/richard-branson-256_adventure_i-ve-used-the-phoenix-centrifuge-to-repl_903.jpg)
