--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The State, that cawing rookery of…" description: "\"The State, that cawing rookery of committees and subcommittees.\" — V. S. Pritchett" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cee/v-s-pritchett-13789_committees_the-state-that-cawing-rookery-of-committ_354230.jpg" --- # The State, that cawing rookery of committees and… ![“The State, that cawing rookery of committees and subcommittees.” quote by V. S. Pritchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cee/v-s-pritchett-13789_committees_the-state-that-cawing-rookery-of-committ_354230.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cee/v-s-pritchett-13789_committees_the-state-that-cawing-rookery-of-committ_354230.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cee/v-s-pritchett-13789_committees_the-state-that-cawing-rookery-of-committ_354230.jpg) > “The State, that cawing rookery of committees and subcommittees.” [V. S. Pritchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-s-pritchett/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The government is likened to a noisy, chaotic nest of overlapping committees, implying inefficiency. **In simple terms:** Too many committees cause chaos. Key Takeaway Simplify structures to improve efficiency. Themes bureaucracy inefficiency government Mood critical analytical Type political satirical When to use this quote - policy making - corporate management - public administration Key Concepts organizational theory politics Questions to Reflect On - How can we balance efficiency with representation? - What alternatives to committees exist? A Different Perspective Reducing committees may overlook diverse perspectives. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cawing Rookery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cawing-rookery-3265314/) [Committees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/committees/) [Rookery Committees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rookery-committees-3265313/) [State](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/state/) [State Cawing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/state-cawing-3265312/) [States](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/states/) [Subcommittees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/subcommittees-2508386/) ## Related quotes > [Committees have become so important nowadays that subcommittees have to be appointed to do the work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-j-peter/committees-have-become-so-important-nowadays-that-subcommittees-have/) [Laurence J. Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-j-peter/) > [What's insulting to the American people, the Senate, to this whole process is that the Republicans, with all other nominees, have said Democrats are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-maddow/what-s-insulting-to-the-american-people-the-senate-to-this-whole/) [Rachel Maddow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-maddow/) > [As Mayor, I will fully support my Arts Commission and its professional selection committees so that they can commission a full range of public…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gavin-newsom/as-mayor-i-will-fully-support-my-arts-commission-and-its-professional/) [Gavin Newsom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gavin-newsom/) > [I was the chairman of the House Budget Committee and one of the chief architects the last time we balanced a budget, and it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kasich/i-was-the-chairman-of-the-house-budget-committee-and-one-of-the-chief/) [John Kasich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kasich/) > [I come to this debate, Mr. Speaker, as one at the end of 10 years in office on the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-pelosi/i-come-to-this-debate-mr-speaker-as-one-at-the-end-of-10-years-in/) [Nancy Pelosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-pelosi/) > [I find it profoundly symbolic that I am appearing before a committee of fifteen men who will report to a legislative body of one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/letty-cottin-pogrebin/i-find-it-profoundly-symbolic-that-i-am-appearing-before-a-committee/) [Letty Cottin Pogrebin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/letty-cottin-pogrebin/) > [When you have the Chief of Staff of the Republican National Committee and the political director of the Romney campaign, and their two companies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-caddell/when-you-have-the-chief-of-staff-of-the-republican-national-committee/) [Patrick Caddell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-caddell/) > [If computers get too powerful, we can organize them into committees. That'll do them in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-computers-get-too-powerful-we-can-organize-them-into-committees/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Government likes committees... a lot. Committees kill all the really good ideas and generally all the really bad ideas. They produce middle-ground mush.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-devos/government-likes-committees-a-lot-committees-kill-all-the-really-good/) [Betsy DeVos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-devos/) > [It is necessary to get a lot of men together, for the show of the thing, otherwise the world will not believe. That is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-trollope/it-is-necessary-to-get-a-lot-of-men-together-for-the-show-of-the/) [Anthony Trollope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-trollope/) > [I was the chairman of the Budget Committee and the lead architect the last time it happened in Washington, and when we did it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kasich/i-was-the-chairman-of-the-budget-committee-and-the-lead-architect-the/) [John Kasich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kasich/) > [As the first Member of Congress from western Washington to serve on the House Agriculture Committee in over 50 years, I am proud to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-larsen/as-the-first-member-of-congress-from-western-washington-to-serve-on/) [Rick Larsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-larsen/) > [There is not a revolution that succe Women are suffering because they are being excluded. The high military council excluded women from the committee…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nawal-el-saadawi/there-is-not-a-revolution-that-succe-women-are-suffering-because-they/) [Nawal El Saadawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nawal-el-saadawi/) > [“The reason you have committees is that you have divided responsibilities,” Jobs said. “We don’t. At Apple you can figure out exactly who is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-lashinsky/the-reason-you-have-committees-is-that-you-have-divided/) [Adam Lashinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-lashinsky/) > [My feeling has always been that 'Good Eats' would have never happened had it been left to a committee.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alton-brown/my-feeling-has-always-been-that-good-eats-would-have-never-happened/) [Alton Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alton-brown/) ## More by V. S. Pritchett > [The mark of genius is an incessant activity of mind. Genius is a spiritual greed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-s-pritchett/the-mark-of-genius-is-an-incessant-activity-of-mind-genius-is-a/) [V. S. Pritchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-s-pritchett/) > [There is more magic in sin if it is not committed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-s-pritchett/there-is-more-magic-in-sin-if-it-is-not-committed/) [V. S. Pritchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-s-pritchett/) > [Queen Victoria - a mixture of national landlady and actress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-s-pritchett/queen-victoria-a-mixture-of-national-landlady-and-actress/) [V. S. Pritchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-s-pritchett/) > [Like many popular best-sellers, he was a very sad and solemn man who took himself too seriously and his art not seriously enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-s-pritchett/like-many-popular-best-sellers-he-was-a-very-sad-and-solemn-man-who/) [V. S. Pritchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-s-pritchett/) > [The Canadian spirit is cautious, observant and critical where the American is assertive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-s-pritchett/the-canadian-spirit-is-cautious-observant-and-critical-where-the/) [V. S. Pritchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-s-pritchett/) > [It is less the business of the novelist to tell us what happened than to show how it happened.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-s-pritchett/it-is-less-the-business-of-the-novelist-to-tell-us-what-happened-than/) [V. S. Pritchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-s-pritchett/) > [The detective novel is the art-for-art's-sake of our yawning Philistinism, the classic example of a specialized form of art removed from contact with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-s-pritchett/the-detective-novel-is-the-art-for-art-s-sake-of-our-yawning/) [V. S. Pritchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-s-pritchett/) > [A natural New Yorker is a native of the present tense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-s-pritchett/a-natural-new-yorker-is-a-native-of-the-present-tense/) [V. S. Pritchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-s-pritchett/) > [A short story is. . .frequently the celebration of character at bursting point.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-s-pritchett/a-short-story-is-frequently-the-celebration-of-character-at-bursting/) [V. S. Pritchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-s-pritchett/) > [The wrongs of childhood and upbringing have made a large and obsessional contribution to autobiography and the novel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-s-pritchett/the-wrongs-of-childhood-and-upbringing-have-made-a-large-and/) [V. S. Pritchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-s-pritchett/) > [Prep school, public school, university: these now tedious influences standardize English autobiography, giving the educated Englishman the sad if fascinating appearance of a stuffed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-s-pritchett/prep-school-public-school-university-these-now-tedious-influences/) [V. S. Pritchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-s-pritchett/) > [How extraordinary it is that one feels most guilt about the sins one is unable to commit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-s-pritchett/how-extraordinary-it-is-that-one-feels-most-guilt-about-the-sins-one/) [V. S. Pritchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-s-pritchett/) > [The difference between farce and humour in literature is, I suppose, that farce strums louder and louder on one string, while humour varies its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-s-pritchett/the-difference-between-farce-and-humour-in-literature-is-i-suppose/) [V. S. Pritchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-s-pritchett/) > [On one plane, the very great writers and the popular romancers of the lower order always meet. They use all of themselves, helplessly, unselectively.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-s-pritchett/on-one-plane-the-very-great-writers-and-the-popular-romancers-of-the/) [V. S. Pritchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-s-pritchett/) > [Absolute Evil is not the kingdom of hell. The inhabitants of hell are ourselves, i.e., those who pay our painful, embarrassing, humanistic duties to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-s-pritchett/absolute-evil-is-not-the-kingdom-of-hell-the-inhabitants-of-hell-are/) [V. S. Pritchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-s-pritchett/) [Explore all 49 V. S. Pritchett quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-s-pritchett/) ## More Committees quotes > [My feeling has always been that 'Good Eats' would have never happened had it been left to a committee.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alton-brown/my-feeling-has-always-been-that-good-eats-would-have-never-happened/) [Alton Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alton-brown/) > [“The reason you have committees is that you have divided responsibilities,” Jobs said. “We don’t. At Apple you can figure out exactly who is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-lashinsky/the-reason-you-have-committees-is-that-you-have-divided/) [Adam Lashinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-lashinsky/) > [There is not a revolution that succe Women are suffering because they are being excluded. The high military council excluded women from the committee…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nawal-el-saadawi/there-is-not-a-revolution-that-succe-women-are-suffering-because-they/) [Nawal El Saadawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nawal-el-saadawi/) > [As the first Member of Congress from western Washington to serve on the House Agriculture Committee in over 50 years, I am proud to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-larsen/as-the-first-member-of-congress-from-western-washington-to-serve-on/) [Rick Larsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-larsen/) > [I was the chairman of the Budget Committee and the lead architect the last time it happened in Washington, and when we did it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kasich/i-was-the-chairman-of-the-budget-committee-and-the-lead-architect-the/) [John Kasich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kasich/) > [It is necessary to get a lot of men together, for the show of the thing, otherwise the world will not believe. That is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-trollope/it-is-necessary-to-get-a-lot-of-men-together-for-the-show-of-the/) [Anthony Trollope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-trollope/) > [Government likes committees... a lot. Committees kill all the really good ideas and generally all the really bad ideas. They produce middle-ground mush.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-devos/government-likes-committees-a-lot-committees-kill-all-the-really-good/) [Betsy DeVos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-devos/) > [If computers get too powerful, we can organize them into committees. That'll do them in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-computers-get-too-powerful-we-can-organize-them-into-committees/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When you have the Chief of Staff of the Republican National Committee and the political director of the Romney campaign, and their two companies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-caddell/when-you-have-the-chief-of-staff-of-the-republican-national-committee/) [Patrick Caddell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-caddell/) > [I find it profoundly symbolic that I am appearing before a committee of fifteen men who will report to a legislative body of one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/letty-cottin-pogrebin/i-find-it-profoundly-symbolic-that-i-am-appearing-before-a-committee/) [Letty Cottin Pogrebin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/letty-cottin-pogrebin/) > [I come to this debate, Mr. Speaker, as one at the end of 10 years in office on the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-pelosi/i-come-to-this-debate-mr-speaker-as-one-at-the-end-of-10-years-in/) [Nancy Pelosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-pelosi/) > [I was the chairman of the House Budget Committee and one of the chief architects the last time we balanced a budget, and it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kasich/i-was-the-chairman-of-the-house-budget-committee-and-one-of-the-chief/) [John Kasich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kasich/) > [As Mayor, I will fully support my Arts Commission and its professional selection committees so that they can commission a full range of public…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gavin-newsom/as-mayor-i-will-fully-support-my-arts-commission-and-its-professional/) [Gavin Newsom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gavin-newsom/) > [What's insulting to the American people, the Senate, to this whole process is that the Republicans, with all other nominees, have said Democrats are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-maddow/what-s-insulting-to-the-american-people-the-senate-to-this-whole/) [Rachel Maddow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-maddow/) > [One of the great joys this year and the year before has been how all of the people in this body, men and women,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-hayes/one-of-the-great-joys-this-year-and-the-year-before-has-been-how-all/) [Robin Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-hayes/) [Browse all 623 Committees quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/committees/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The State, that cawing rookery of committees and subcommittees.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "V. 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