Force Quote by James A. Garfield
“Statistical science is indispensable to modern statesmanship. In legislation as in physical science it is beginning to be understood that we can control terrestrial forces only by obeying their laws. The legislator must formulate in his statutes not only the national will, but also those great laws of social life revealed by statistics.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Presidential Address, 1882
Emphasizes that statistical analysis is essential for effective governance, aligning lawmaking with empirical social laws.
In simple terms: Use data to guide policy.
Key Takeaway
Base laws on statistical insight.
Themes
government
statistics
policy
Mood
analytical
pragmatic
Type
political
educational
When to use this quote
- budget planning
- public health policy
- education reform
Key Concepts
empirical governance
social law
legislative science
Questions to Reflect On
- How can policymakers balance data with ethical judgment?
- What limits exist in statistical predictions?
A Different Perspective
Overreliance on data may ignore moral considerations.
![“The state has a right to do that [outlaw contraceptives], I have never questioned that the state has a right to do that. It is not a constitutional right, the state has the right to pass whatever statutes they have. That is the thing I have said about the activism of the Supreme Court, they are…” quote by Rick Santorum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/e53/rick-santorum-1840_activism_the-state-has-a-right-to-do-that-outlaw_181390.jpg)
![“Neither Italian fascism nor German national "socialism" have anything in common with such a [Soviet socialistic] society, primarily because private ownership of factories, plants, lands, banks, means of transportation, etc., remain untouched there, and, therefore, capitalism in Germany and Italy…” quote by Joseph Stalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/411/joseph-stalin-1734_capitalism_neither-italian-fascism-nor-german-natio_1430.jpg)
