Politics determines who has the power, not who has the truth.
Paul KrugmanRead
It’s not about the budget; it’s about the power...So will the attack on unions succeed? I don’t know. But anyone who cares about retaining government of the people by the people should hope that it doesn’t.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote emphasizes that the influence of power is more critical than financial resources in political matters. It advocates for the preservation of democratic governance through collective organization.
In this quote, Paul Krugman highlights the idea that the struggle for political representation and power should take precedence over mere financial considerations. He indicates that the attack on unions represents a larger threat to democracy and the principles of government by the people. The uncertainty of whether such attempts will be successful should concern anyone who values participatory governance, suggesting that solidarity and advocacy for the public interest are essential for a healthy democracy.
Themes
PowerUnionsDemocracyGovernmentPeople
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion on labor rights and collective bargaining, this quote can be used to emphasize the importance of union power.
More from Paul Krugman
All quotes →Our popular economics writers, however, are not in the business of giving their readers a ringside seat on the research action; with no exception I can think of, they use their books to do an end run around the normal structure of scholarship, to preach ideas that few serious economists share. Often, these ideas are not just at odds with the professional consensus; they are demonstrably wrong, and sometimes terminally silly. But they sound good to the unwary reader.
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The raw fact is that every successful example of economic development this past century ... has taken place via globalization.
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Wealthy Americans who benefit hugely from a system rigged in their favor react with hysteria to anyone who points out just how rigged the system is.
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The economics profession went astray because economists, as a group, mistook beauty, clad in impressive-looking mathematics, for truth.
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The goal in the end is not to win elections. The goal is to change society.
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