Advice to young Samuel Gompers that might apply in many other areas: "Learn from socialism, but don't join it.

— Barbara W. Tuchman

A great imperative imparts a wonderful impulse to the spirit.

— Barbara W. Tuchman

All this visible greatness was really one with Nineveh and Tyre.

— Barbara W. Tuchman

A minister's (cabinet member's) function was not to DO the work but to see that it got done.

— Barbara W. Tuchman

An event of great agony is bearable only in the belief that it will bring about a better world. When it does not, as in the aftermath of another vast calamity in 1914-18, disillusion is deep and moves on to self-doubt and self-disgust.

— Barbara W. Tuchman

Any person who considers himself, and intends to remain, a member of Western society inherits the Western past from Athens and Jerusalem to Runnymede and Valley Forge, as well as to Watts and Chicago of August 1968. He may ignore it or deny it, but that does not alter the fact. The past sits back and smiles and knows it owns him anyway.

— Barbara W. Tuchman

A phenomenon noticeable throughout history regardless of place or period is the pursuit by governments of policies contrary to their own interests. Mankind, it seems, makes a poorer performance of government than of almost any other human activity. In this sphere, wisdom, which may be defined as the exercise of judgment acting on experience, common sense and available information, is less operative and more frustrated than it should be. Why do holders of high office so often act contrary to the way reason points and enlightened self-interest suggests? Why does intelligent mental process seem so often not to function?

— Barbara W. Tuchman

A reformer exhorted children that they would succeed where he and his colleagues had failed with the charge: "Live for that better day.

— Barbara W. Tuchman

Asked what would be his idea of Heaven, one statesman in 1897 said it would be to "receive a flow of telegrams alternating news of a British victory by sea and a British victory by land.

— Barbara W. Tuchman

As there would be no more inheritance, there would be no more greed. Peter Kropotkin

— Barbara W. Tuchman