Chris Patten's Quotes
Born: 1944-05-12
Profession: Politician
Nation: British
Biography of Chris Patten
I believe in trying to get a balance between individual freedom on the one hand and social responsibility on the other.
Tags: Between, Freedom, TryingBut the ability to articulate what you are doing, to be clear about it, and to stick to it is, I think, the essence of political leadership.
Tags: Ability, Leadership, PoliticalIt is almost always wrong that the time isn't ripe to decide something. That is always said of difficult problems.
Tags: Problems, Said, TimeI don't think that capitalism should be unbridled, if by 'unbridled' you mean unregulated.
Tags: Capitalism, Mean, UnbridledI think that if politics is just about getting your backside on important seats, then it's a pretty worthless endeavor.
Tags: Getting, Politics, PrettyIn a democracy everybody has a right to be represented, including the jerks.
Tags: Democracy, Everybody, JerksIn democracy everyone has the right to be represented, even the jerks.
Tags: Democracy, Everyone, JerksUndoubtedly, at the moment, the major cause of CO2 emission is what happens in developed countries.
Tags: Cause, Happens, MomentGreen politics at its worst amounts to a sort of Zen fascism; less extreme, it denounces growth and seeks to stop the world so that we can all get off.
Tags: Less, Off, PoliticsI suppose I've always carried what is regarded as a bit of unnecessary baggage in Britain. I've always carried the charge that I am an intellectual in politics.
Tags: Bit, Charge, PoliticsI think that what most surprises anybody who goes into politics from even a modestly cerebral background is the vulgarity of much of the cut and thrust of politics.
Tags: Anybody, Goes, PoliticsIt is a sort of great Victorian truth that actually, trying to do the right thing is pretty good for you and pretty good for business as well, by and large.
Tags: Good, Great, TruthSo, what I say to people is that politics has got to be about principle and values above all. Of course, there are times when you have to make accommodations.
Tags: Politics, Times, Values