People are the common denominator of progress; no improvement is possible with unimproved people.

There are few ironclad rules of diplomacy but to one there is no exception. When an official reports that talks were useful, it can safely be concluded that nothing was accomplished.

There's no question that in my lifetime, the contrast between what I called private affluence and public squalor has become very much greater.

You will find that [the] State [Department] is the kind of organisation which, though it does big things badly, does small things badly too.

There can be no question, however, that prolonged commitment to mathematical exercises in economics can be damaging. It leads to the atrophy of judgement and intuition. . .

I've been a faithful reader of the great classical documents of economics, or tried to be.

My rule on honorary degrees has always been to have one more than Arthur Schlesinger Jr.