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.
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All of the troubles that some people have in life is that which they married into.
All of the troubles that some people have in life is that which they married into.
Up men to your posts! Don't forget today that you are from old Virginia. - Gettysburg, July 3, 1863.
Up men to your posts! Don't forget today that you are from old Virginia. - Gettysburg, July 3, 1863.
If the small minority of enlightened citizens who are able to conceive sound principles of political management do not succeed read more
If the small minority of enlightened citizens who are able to conceive sound principles of political management do not succeed in winning the support of their fellow citizens and converting them to the endorsement of policies that bring and preserve prosperity, the cause of mankind and civilization is hopeless. There is no other means to safeguard a propitious development of human affairs than to make the masses of inferior people adopt the ideas of the elite. This has to be achieved by convincing them. It cannot be accomplished by a despotic regime that instead of enlightening the masses beats them into submission. In the long run the ideas of the majority, however detrimental they may be, will carry on. The future of mankind depends on the ability of the elite to influence public opinion in the right direction.
Democracy is the recurrent suspicion that more than half of the people are right more than half of the time.
Democracy is the recurrent suspicion that more than half of the people are right more than half of the time.
All that Communism needs to make it successful is someone to feed and clothe it.
All that Communism needs to make it successful is someone to feed and clothe it.
The notion that a radical is one who hates his country is naive and usually idiotic. He is, more likely, read more
The notion that a radical is one who hates his country is naive and usually idiotic. He is, more likely, one who likes his country more than the rest of us, and is thus more disturbed than the rest of us when he sees it debauched. He is not a bad citizen turning to crime; he is a good citizen driven to despair.
All revolutions...have been led by persons who knew oppression well, but not on their own skin.
All revolutions...have been led by persons who knew oppression well, but not on their own skin.
Individuality is freedom lived.
Individuality is freedom lived.
Freedom released the energies of the masses not by exhilarating but by unbalancing, irritating, and goading.
Freedom released the energies of the masses not by exhilarating but by unbalancing, irritating, and goading.
