--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: One thing about bureaucrats is that they…" description: "\"One thing about bureaucrats is that they never swallow their young. Leave them alone and you'll find them increasing every year.\" — Robert Menzies" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/661/robert-menzies-22587_bureaucrats_one-thing-about-bureaucrats-is-that-they_2537349.jpg" --- # One thing about bureaucrats is that they never swallow… ![“One thing about bureaucrats is that they never swallow their young. Leave them alone and you'll find them increasing every year.” quote by Robert Menzies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/661/robert-menzies-22587_bureaucrats_one-thing-about-bureaucrats-is-that-they_2537349.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/661/robert-menzies-22587_bureaucrats_one-thing-about-bureaucrats-is-that-they_2537349.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/661/robert-menzies-22587_bureaucrats_one-thing-about-bureaucrats-is-that-they_2537349.jpg) > “One thing about bureaucrats is that they never swallow their young. Leave them alone and you'll find them increasing every year.” [Robert Menzies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-menzies/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He critiques bureaucrats for protecting their own interests and expanding power. **In simple terms:** Bureaucrats guard their positions and grow. Key Takeaway Monitor and reform institutional self‑interest. Themes politics bureaucracy power dynamics Mood critical analytical Type political observational When to use this quote - government policy - organizational reform - public accountability Key Concepts institutional inertia public administration Questions to Reflect On - How can citizens hold bureaucracies accountable? - What incentives could reduce self‑preservation? A Different Perspective Reforms may face resistance from entrenched interests. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bureaucrats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bureaucrats/) ## Related quotes > [My motivation for tennis has been increasing every year.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kei-nishikori/my-motivation-for-tennis-has-been-increasing-every-year/) [Kei Nishikori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kei-nishikori/) > [“Do you want a heads-up when Luce and Daniel have their first date?" Annabelle asked. Miles pointed down to Earth. 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Never leave them alone because they will never say they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bubbly/sometimes-the-person-who-tries-to-keep-others-happy-is-the-most/) Bubbly ## More by Robert Menzies > [More good things in life are lost by indifference than ever were lost by active hostility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-menzies/more-good-things-in-life-are-lost-by-indifference-than-ever-were-lost/) [Robert Menzies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-menzies/) > [Thinking ahead, what really happens to us will depend on how many people we have who are of the great and sober and dynamic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-menzies/thinking-ahead-what-really-happens-to-us-will-depend-on-how-many/) [Robert Menzies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-menzies/) > [“The Christ-centered and Bible-driven nature of the Pentecostal movement should not be missed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-menzies/the-christ-centered-and-bible-driven-nature-of-the-pentecostal/) [Robert Menzies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-menzies/) > [Never take any notice of Anonymous letters, unless you get a few thousand on the same subject.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-menzies/never-take-any-notice-of-anonymous-letters-unless-you-get-a-few/) [Robert Menzies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-menzies/) > [When people meet my wife they think better of me. They say: "With a wife like that, he can't be as bad as we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-menzies/when-people-meet-my-wife-they-think-better-of-me-they-say-with-a-wife/) [Robert Menzies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-menzies/) > [We took the name 'Liberal' because we were determined to be a progressive party, willing to make experiments, in no sense reactionary but believing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-menzies/we-took-the-name-liberal-because-we-were-determined-to-be-a/) [Robert Menzies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-menzies/) > [In all my life I have treated the press with marked contempt and remarkable success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-menzies/in-all-my-life-i-have-treated-the-press-with-marked-contempt-and/) [Robert Menzies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-menzies/) > [The long-established and noble rule of Law, one of the greatest products of the character and tradition of British history, has suffered a deadly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-menzies/the-long-established-and-noble-rule-of-law-one-of-the-greatest/) [Robert Menzies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-menzies/) > [“Yes, the Pentecostal faith, with its openness to the supernatural, provides spiritual resources for significant felt needs. Yes, the Pentecostal message, centered as it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-menzies/yes-the-pentecostal-faith-with-its-openness-to-the-supernatural/) [Robert Menzies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-menzies/) > [The kind of people I myself represent in parliament; salary earners, shopkeepers, skilled artisans, professional men and women, farmers and so on, these are,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-menzies/the-kind-of-people-i-myself-represent-in-parliament-salary-earners/) [Robert Menzies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-menzies/) > [What Great Britain calls the Far East is to us the near north.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-menzies/what-great-britain-calls-the-far-east-is-to-us-the-near-north/) [Robert Menzies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-menzies/) > [Experiment is necessary in establishing an academy, but certain principles must apply to this business of art as to any other business which affects…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-menzies/experiment-is-necessary-in-establishing-an-academy-but-certain/) [Robert Menzies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-menzies/) > [One speaks with great respect of economists, if only because they represent such a variety of opinions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-menzies/one-speaks-with-great-respect-of-economists-if-only-because-they/) [Robert Menzies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-menzies/) > [Men of genius are not to be analysed by commonplace rules. The rest of us who have been or are leaders, more commonplace in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-menzies/men-of-genius-are-not-to-be-analysed-by-commonplace-rules-the-rest-of/) [Robert Menzies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-menzies/) > ["I pay my taxes," says somebody, as if that were an act of virtue instead of one of compulsion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-menzies/i-pay-my-taxes-says-somebody-as-if-that-were-an-act-of-virtue-instead/) [Robert Menzies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-menzies/) [Explore all 27 Robert Menzies quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-menzies/) ## More Bureaucrats quotes > [Washington bureaucrats have classified the very air we exhale as a pollutant and have gone unchallenged in this incredible assertion. The logical consequence is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-paul/washington-bureaucrats-have-classified-the-very-air-we-exhale-as-a/) [Ron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-paul/) > [Advocacy groups, politicians, and bureaucrats use the government to advance their private good instead of the common good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-miller/advocacy-groups-politicians-and-bureaucrats-use-the-government-to/) [Joel Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-miller/) > [People are tired of wasteful government programs and welfare chiselers, and they are angry about the constant spiral of taxes and government regulations, arrogant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/people-are-tired-of-wasteful-government-programs-and-welfare/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [“Plato argued that good people do not need laws to tell them to act responsibly, while bad people will always find a way around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-howard/plato-argued-that-good-people-do-not-need-laws-to-tell-them-to-act/) [Philip K. Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-howard/) > [Politicians and bureaucrats are substituting their uninformed, largely political decisions for those of the marketplace. Their past miscalculations demonstrate that they do not and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-levin/politicians-and-bureaucrats-are-substituting-their-uninformed-largely/) [Mark Levin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-levin/) > [Government ... can't be trusted to control its own bureaucrats or collect taxes equitably or fill a pothole, much less decide which of its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-prejean/government-can-t-be-trusted-to-control-its-own-bureaucrats-or-collect/) [Helen Prejean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-prejean/) > [I am interested in power, too, but power for you, the people, not power for bureaucrats and politicians and officeholders and all the like.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/i-am-interested-in-power-too-but-power-for-you-the-people-not-power/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [Politicians and bureaucrats are no different from the rest of us. They will maximize their incentives just like everybody else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-m-buchanan/politicians-and-bureaucrats-are-no-different-from-the-rest-of-us-they/) [James M. Buchanan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-m-buchanan/) > [The nearest thing to immortality in this world is a government bureau.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-s-johnson/the-nearest-thing-to-immortality-in-this-world-is-a-government-bureau/) [Hugh S. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-s-johnson/) > [The people want government that works for them at every level. They want good government that begins at their doorstep in the barangay, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-macapagal-arroyo/the-people-want-government-that-works-for-them-at-every-level-they/) [Gloria Macapagal Arroyo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-macapagal-arroyo/) > [One of the enduring truths of the nation's capital is that bureaucrats survive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-r-ford/one-of-the-enduring-truths-of-the-nation-s-capital-is-that/) [Gerald R. Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-r-ford/) > [The real trouble with the doctor image in America is that it has been grayed by the image of the doctor-as-businessman, the doctor-as-bureaucrat, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shana-alexander/the-real-trouble-with-the-doctor-image-in-america-is-that-it-has-been/) [Shana Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shana-alexander/) > [“In our time... a man whose enemies are faceless bureaucrats almost never wins. It is our equivalent to the anger of the gods in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chaim-potok/in-our-time-a-man-whose-enemies-are-faceless-bureaucrats-almost-never/) [Chaim Potok](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chaim-potok/) > [Mystical references to society and its programs to help may warm the hearts of the gullible but what it really means is putting more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/mystical-references-to-society-and-its-programs-to-help-may-warm-the/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [India needs honest bureaucrats; most officers in the system are corrupt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jagapathi-babu/india-needs-honest-bureaucrats-most-officers-in-the-system-are-corrupt/) [Jagapathi Babu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jagapathi-babu/) [Browse all 273 Bureaucrats quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bureaucrats/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "One thing about bureaucrats is that they never swallow their young. 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