"Secrecy - the first refuge of incompetents - must be at bare minimum in a democratic society, for a fully informed public is the basis of self-government. Those elected or appointed to positions of executive authority must recognize that government, in a democracy, cannot be wiser than the people."
- Commission on Government Security, the Committee on Government Operations of the House of Representatives, 1960 Report
Reference: House Committee on Government Operations, Availability of Information From Federal Departments and Agencies, 86th Cong., 2d sess., 1960, House Rept. 86-2084, 36.
from Appendix A - "SECRECY - A Brief Account of the American Experience", Section 8. A Culture of Secrecy, in the 1997 Report of the Commission on Protecting and Reducing Government Secrecy, which is US Senate Document # 105-2 of the 103rd Congress
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