The successful politician owes his power to the fact that he moves within the accepted framework of thought, that he thinks and talks conventionally. It would be almost a contradiction in terms for a politician to be a leader in the field of ideas. His task in a democracy is to find out what the opinions held by the largest number are, not to give currency to new opinions which may become the majority view in some distant future.
You May Also Like / View all maxioms
In republican governments, men are all equal; equal they are also is despotic governments: in the former, because they are read more
In republican governments, men are all equal; equal they are also is despotic governments: in the former, because they are everything; in the latter, because they are nothing.
A conservative is a man who believes that nothing should be done for the first time.
A conservative is a man who believes that nothing should be done for the first time.
To desire the attainment of this equality or superiority by the particular means of others being brought down to our read more
To desire the attainment of this equality or superiority by the particular means of others being brought down to our own level, or below it, is, I think, the distinct notion of envy.
...the ultimate decision about what is accepted as right and wrong will be made not by individual human wisdom but read more
...the ultimate decision about what is accepted as right and wrong will be made not by individual human wisdom but by the disappearance of the groups that have adhered to the "wrong" beliefs.
Absolute power corrupts even when exercised for humane purposes. The benevolent despot who sees himself as a shepherd of the read more
Absolute power corrupts even when exercised for humane purposes. The benevolent despot who sees himself as a shepherd of the people still demands from others the submissiveness of sheep.
No man is entitled to the blessings of freedom unless he be vigilant in its preservation.
No man is entitled to the blessings of freedom unless he be vigilant in its preservation.
One of the tests of leadership is the ability to recognize a problem before it becomes an emergency.
One of the tests of leadership is the ability to recognize a problem before it becomes an emergency.
We clamor for equality chiefly in matters in which we ourselves cannot hope to attain excellence. To discover what a read more
We clamor for equality chiefly in matters in which we ourselves cannot hope to attain excellence. To discover what a man truly craves but knows he cannot have we must find the field in which he advocates absolute equality. By this test Communists are frustrated Capitalists.
The only kind of freedom that the mob can imagine is freedom to annoy and oppress its betters, and that read more
The only kind of freedom that the mob can imagine is freedom to annoy and oppress its betters, and that is precisely the kind that we mainly have.
