--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The British civil service ... is a…" description: "\"The British civil service ... is a beautifully designed and effective braking mechanism.\" — Shirley Williams" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ca/shirley-williams-30751_british_the-british-civil-service-is-a-beautiful_2141389.jpg" --- # The British civil service ... is a beautifully designed… ![“The British civil service ... is a beautifully designed and effective braking mechanism.” quote by Shirley Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ca/shirley-williams-30751_british_the-british-civil-service-is-a-beautiful_2141389.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ca/shirley-williams-30751_british_the-british-civil-service-is-a-beautiful_2141389.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ca/shirley-williams-30751_british_the-british-civil-service-is-a-beautiful_2141389.jpg) > “The British civil service ... is a beautifully designed and effective braking mechanism.” [Shirley Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-williams/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The British civil service functions as an effective brake, intentionally slowing rapid policy changes to ensure stability. **In simple terms:** Civil service acts as a deliberate brake. Key Takeaway Value measured governance over haste. Themes government bureaucracy checks and balances policy stability Mood analytical policy-oriented Type political institutional analysis When to use this quote - policy formulation - legislative review - public sector reform Key Concepts Institutional design public administration risk management Questions to Reflect On - How can bureaucracy balance speed and caution? - What reforms could improve its effectiveness? A Different Perspective May hinder necessary rapid reforms. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Braking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/braking-713150/) [Braking Mechanism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/braking-mechanism-4461315/) [British](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/british/) [Civil service](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civil-service/) [Designed Effective](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/designed-effective-4127851/) [Effective Braking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/effective-braking-4461314/) [Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Mechanism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mechanism/) ## Related quotes > [Satyagraha has been designed as an effective substitute for violence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/satyagraha-has-been-designed-as-an-effective-substitute-for-violence/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Monza is special. It's a high-speed track that pushes the car to the limit: it may look easy but the margin for error when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nico-hulkenberg/monza-is-special-it-s-a-high-speed-track-that-pushes-the-car-to-the/) [Nico Hulkenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nico-hulkenberg/) > [I know there are kids out there, I want to make sure they all know that driving without braking is not something I recommend,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-seinfeld/i-know-there-are-kids-out-there-i-want-to-make-sure-they-all-know/) [Jerry Seinfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-seinfeld/) > [“So I drive into town for my first date in two years in a red 1941 Chevrolet four-on-the-floor with a John Deere motor grader…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-stockett/so-i-drive-into-town-for-my-first-date-in-two-years-in-a-red-1941/) [Kathryn Stockett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-stockett/) > [If you can leave two black stripes from the exit of one corner to the braking zone of the next, you have enough horsepower.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-donohue/if-you-can-leave-two-black-stripes-from-the-exit-of-one-corner-to-the/) [Mark Donohue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-donohue/) > [“you have never really had a broken heart till you can actually feel you'r heart braking!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kav/you-have-never-really-had-a-broken-heart-till-you-can-actually-feel/) [kav](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kav/) > [In Malaysia where the front end pushes so much, extra engine braking is really going to help you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sete-gibernau/in-malaysia-where-the-front-end-pushes-so-much-extra-engine-braking/) [Sete Gibernau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sete-gibernau/) > [“don’t invite a girl on board if you don’t have a six-pack antilock braking system.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-fortier/don-t-invite-a-girl-on-board-if-you-don-t-have-a-six-pack-antilock/) [Anne Fortier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-fortier/) > [But braking is so difficult, especially in single-seaters. You're millimetres from locking up in the braking zones. Having to feel that through the hands?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-monger/but-braking-is-so-difficult-especially-in-single-seaters-you-re/) [Billy Monger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-monger/) > [And when we go from braking to accelerating to cornering, the G-forces we pull are really demanding on our bodies. We definitely have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-andretti/and-when-we-go-from-braking-to-accelerating-to-cornering-the-g-forces/) [Michael Andretti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-andretti/) > [I was impressed by the braking power an F1 car has.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mick-schumacher/i-was-impressed-by-the-braking-power-an-f1-car-has/) [Mick Schumacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mick-schumacher/) > [To keep your he-man jaw muscles from smashing your precious teeth, the only set you have, the body evolved an automated braking system faster…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-roach/to-keep-your-he-man-jaw-muscles-from-smashing-your-precious-teeth-the/) [Mary Roach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-roach/) > [When you're driving on a normal track, you can see the braking point from 500 m. away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-hamilton/when-you-re-driving-on-a-normal-track-you-can-see-the-braking-point/) [Lewis Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-hamilton/) > [What's aero braking? That's a way to use the gravity and upper atmosphere of Earth to sling shot a ship out either deeper into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buzz-aldrin/what-s-aero-braking-that-s-a-way-to-use-the-gravity-and-upper/) [Buzz Aldrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buzz-aldrin/) > [“Whatand why were never questions for me. How was the only question. When I look back now, I realize that I never thought about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sadhguru/whatand-why-were-never-questions-for-me-how-was-the-only-question/) [Sadhguru](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sadhguru/) ## More by Shirley Williams > [society, while willing to make room for women, is not willing to make changes for them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-williams/society-while-willing-to-make-room-for-women-is-not-willing-to-make/) [Shirley Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-williams/) > [We have run out of creativity for children and teachers alike in the name of pushing up standards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-williams/we-have-run-out-of-creativity-for-children-and-teachers-alike-in-the/) [Shirley Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-williams/) > [It would be excellent if he is prepared to listen to other points of view.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-williams/it-would-be-excellent-if-he-is-prepared-to-listen-to-other-points-of/) [Shirley Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-williams/) > [It is our goal to provide full public access to as many files as we possibly can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-williams/it-is-our-goal-to-provide-full-public-access-to-as-many-files-as-we/) [Shirley Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-williams/) > [The saddest illusion of the revolutionary is that revolution itself will transform the nature of human beings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-williams/the-saddest-illusion-of-the-revolutionary-is-that-revolution-itself/) [Shirley Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-williams/) > [There are hazards in anything one does but there are greater hazards in doing nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-williams/there-are-hazards-in-anything-one-does-but-there-are-greater-hazards/) [Shirley Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-williams/) > [There are hazards in everything one does, but there are greater hazards in doing nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-williams/there-are-hazards-in-everything-one-does-but-there-are-greater/) [Shirley Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-williams/) > [The danger of any new party at a time of disillusion with the old parties, is that it becomes all things to all men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-williams/the-danger-of-any-new-party-at-a-time-of-disillusion-with-the-old/) [Shirley Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-williams/) > [No test tube can breed love and affection. No frozen packet of semen ever read a story to a sleepy child.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-williams/no-test-tube-can-breed-love-and-affection-no-frozen-packet-of-semen/) [Shirley Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-williams/) > [“The doctrine of parliamentary sovereignty has become the doctrine of the executive in Parliament…”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-williams/the-doctrine-of-parliamentary-sovereignty-has-become-the-doctrine-of/) [Shirley Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-williams/) > [I am not interested in a third party. I do not believe it has any future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-williams/i-am-not-interested-in-a-third-party-i-do-not-believe-it-has-any/) [Shirley Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-williams/) > [We really shouldnt be running education like a supermarket where you compare prices.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-williams/we-really-shouldnt-be-running-education-like-a-supermarket-where-you/) [Shirley Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-williams/) > [The Catholic Church has never really come to terms with women. What I object to is being treated either as Madonnas or Mary Magdalenes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-williams/the-catholic-church-has-never-really-come-to-terms-with-women-what-i/) [Shirley Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-williams/) > [We have to say now we think the character of the party has changed so far it will take something very exceptional, something really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-williams/we-have-to-say-now-we-think-the-character-of-the-party-has-changed-so/) [Shirley Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-williams/) > [We really shouldn't be running education like a supermarket where you compare prices.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-williams/we-really-shouldn-t-be-running-education-like-a-supermarket-where-you/) [Shirley Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-williams/) [Explore all 17 Shirley Williams quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-williams/) ## More British quotes > [I'd love to work in the States; I'd love to work anywhere where you get a good script and a good part to play.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-carmichael/i-d-love-to-work-in-the-states-i-d-love-to-work-anywhere-where-you/) [Laura Carmichael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-carmichael/) > [I shot for French and British Vogue. The British Vogue one featured clothes by Chloe and was shot at Highgate and the John Soane…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nan-goldin/i-shot-for-french-and-british-vogue-the-british-vogue-one-featured/) [Nan Goldin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nan-goldin/) > [We can find common qualities and common values that have made Britain the country it is. Our belief in tolerance and liberty which shines…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-brown/we-can-find-common-qualities-and-common-values-that-have-made-britain/) [Gordon Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-brown/) > [ No wonder that Churchill described this effort \[the British codebreakers working at Bletchley Park\] as "Britian"s secret weapon," a weapon far more effective than… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-hilton/no-wonder-that-churchill-described-this-effort-the-british/) [Peter Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-hilton/) > [When we first sold the Wallace and Gromit shorts to America, people suggested we get rid of the strange British accents and put clear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-park/when-we-first-sold-the-wallace-and-gromit-shorts-to-america-people/) [Nick Park](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-park/) > [I always wanted to make a 'James Bond' film, and they only seemed to hire British directors, and I'd made 'Swingers' - they were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-liman/i-always-wanted-to-make-a-james-bond-film-and-they-only-seemed-to/) [Doug Liman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-liman/) > [Somebody said that part of my reaction to British cinema is actually, paradoxically, a patriotic one. I'm so disappointed that we're not better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-brownlow/somebody-said-that-part-of-my-reaction-to-british-cinema-is-actually/) [Kevin Brownlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-brownlow/) > [All the cliches of glamorous sophistication have little appeal to me. Do I want to live the British version of 'Dynasty?' No thanks!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sade-adu/all-the-cliches-of-glamorous-sophistication-have-little-appeal-to-me/) [Sade Adu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sade-adu/) > [British Forces should be in a position to give back in a ten fold measure any attack that the Germans may attempt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-banting/british-forces-should-be-in-a-position-to-give-back-in-a-ten-fold/) [Frederick Banting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-banting/) > [Although I don't have anything against people from other countries, the higher the influx into England the more the British identity disappears.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/although-i-don-t-have-anything-against-people-from-other-countries/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It could be my British need for discipline that makes me admire the American appetite for freedom and passion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-winwood/it-could-be-my-british-need-for-discipline-that-makes-me-admire-the/) [Steve Winwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-winwood/) > [While we like to think queueing is unique to British culture, the truth is that we are mere amateurs. The old Soviet Union turned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-hartley-brewer/while-we-like-to-think-queueing-is-unique-to-british-culture-the/) [Julia Hartley-Brewer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-hartley-brewer/) > [The American Constitution declares 'All men are born equal.' The British Socialist Party add: 'All men must be kept equal'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/the-american-constitution-declares-all-men-are-born-equal-the-british/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [The whole nuclear-arms-control and non-proliferation policy of the nuclear powers is a fraud: The Americans could not prevent the Soviets from replicating their weaponry,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conrad-black/the-whole-nuclear-arms-control-and-non-proliferation-policy-of-the/) [Conrad Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conrad-black/) > [There just seems to be more acceptance now of other kinds of British films, than the picture-postcard ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-roth/there-just-seems-to-be-more-acceptance-now-of-other-kinds-of-british/) [Tim Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-roth/) [Browse all 3,149 British quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/british/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The British civil service ... is a beautifully designed and effective braking mechanism.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Shirley Williams" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-williams/the-british-civil-service-is-a-beautifully-designed-and-effective/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "British" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-williams/the-british-civil-service-is-a-beautifully-designed-and-effective/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ca/shirley-williams-30751_british_the-british-civil-service-is-a-beautiful_2141389.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ca/shirley-williams-30751_british_the-british-civil-service-is-a-beautiful_2141389.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ca/shirley-williams-30751_british_the-british-civil-service-is-a-beautiful_2141389.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The British civil service ... is a beautifully designed and effective braking mechanism.” — Shirley Williams", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Shirley Williams", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-williams/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The British civil service ... is...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-williams/the-british-civil-service-is-a-beautifully-designed-and-effective/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-williams/the-british-civil-service-is-a-beautifully-designed-and-effective/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```