--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We do not believe that if you cut back…" description: "\"We do not believe that if you cut back what government does you diminish its authority. On the contrary, a government that did less, and therefore did ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d49/margaret-thatcher-463_authority_we-do-not-believe-that-if-you-cut-back-w_2065937.jpg" --- # We do not believe that if you cut back what government… ![“We do not believe that if you cut back what government does you diminish its authority. On the contrary, a government that did less, and therefore did better, would strengthen its authority.” quote by Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d49/margaret-thatcher-463_authority_we-do-not-believe-that-if-you-cut-back-w_2065937.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d49/margaret-thatcher-463_authority_we-do-not-believe-that-if-you-cut-back-w_2065937.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d49/margaret-thatcher-463_authority_we-do-not-believe-that-if-you-cut-back-w_2065937.jpg) > “We do not believe that if you cut back what government does you diminish its authority. On the contrary, a government that did less, and therefore did better, would strengthen its authority.” [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Reducing government size can increase its legitimacy by showing efficiency and competence. **In simple terms:** Less government can mean more authority. Key Takeaway Focus on effective, limited governance. Themes government authority efficiency politics leadership Mood critical optimistic Type political policy When to use this quote - policy reform - budget cuts - public trust - administrative restructuring Key Concepts public policy legitimacy minimalism Questions to Reflect On - Can a smaller government always deliver better outcomes? - What checks prevent inefficiency in a leaner state? A Different Perspective Assumes reduced scope always improves performance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Authority](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/authority/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) ## Related quotes > [My goal is to cut government in half in twenty-five years, to get it down to the size where we can drown it in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grover-norquist/my-goal-is-to-cut-government-in-half-in-twenty-five-years-to-get-it/) [Grover Norquist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grover-norquist/) > [“I say we cut our government in half, with a chainsaw along their waists.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/i-say-we-cut-our-government-in-half-with-a-chainsaw-along-their-waists/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [If all you think we need to do to get this economy going and get this country on the right track is to cut…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-santorum/if-all-you-think-we-need-to-do-to-get-this-economy-going-and-get-this/) [Rick Santorum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-santorum/) > [Obama says we need more firemen, more policemen, more teachers. 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It's time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/obama-says-we-need-more-firemen-more-policemen-more-teachers-did-he/) [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) > [In a very weak economy, when you say 'cut government spending,' what you mean is you're laying off school teachers and you're de-funding various…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fareed-zakaria/in-a-very-weak-economy-when-you-say-cut-government-spending-what-you/) [Fareed Zakaria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fareed-zakaria/) > [Colorado needs a governor who brings people together to create jobs and cut government spending.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hickenlooper/colorado-needs-a-governor-who-brings-people-together-to-create-jobs/) [John Hickenlooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hickenlooper/) > [When government does its job properly people are free to do theirs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/when-government-does-its-job-properly-people-are-free-to-do-theirs/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) > [The government did a lot of things to us in terms of sending pictures to my house. 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But there are greater risks in not stopping a dictator.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/when-you-stop-a-dictator-there-are-always-risks-but-there-are-greater/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) > [Ideally, when Christians meet, as Christians do, to take counsel together, their purpose is not ( or should not be) to ascertain what is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/ideally-when-christians-meet-as-christians-do-to-take-counsel/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) > [There are dangers in consensus: it could be an attempt to satisfy people holding no particular views about anything. ... No great party can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/there-are-dangers-in-consensus-it-could-be-an-attempt-to-satisfy/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) > [If it's me against 48, I feel sorry for the 48.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/if-it-s-me-against-48-i-feel-sorry-for-the-48/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) > [ \[When asked how it felt to be a female prime minister:\] I don't know: I've never experienced the alternative. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/when-asked-how-it-felt-to-be-a-female-prime-minister-i-don-t-know-i/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) > [It is sometimes said that because of our past we, as a people, expect too much and set our sights too high. 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I think it is a mixture of having a flair for the thing that you are doing; knowing that it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/what-is-success-i-think-it-is-a-mixture-of-having-a-flair-for-the/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) > [Personal virtue is no substitute for political hard-headedness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/personal-virtue-is-no-substitute-for-political-hard-headedness/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) > [The Government wants a peaceful settlement. But we totally reject a peaceful sell-out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/the-government-wants-a-peaceful-settlement-but-we-totally-reject-a/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) > [Major international interventions are doomed unless the US is directly or indirectly involved. But if American politicians, officials and servicemen are to be put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/major-international-interventions-are-doomed-unless-the-us-is/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) > [We have made too much of one or two people, and we think that they can win or lose elections for us. Don't be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/we-have-made-too-much-of-one-or-two-people-and-we-think-that-they-can/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) > [I pay tribute to John Major's achievement in persuading the other 11 Community Heads of Government that they could move ahead to a Social…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/i-pay-tribute-to-john-major-s-achievement-in-persuading-the-other-11/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) [Explore all 539 Margaret Thatcher quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) ## More Authority quotes > [I don't believe in competitions between artists. This is insane. 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