Despotism has so often been established in the name of liberty that experience should warn us to judge parties by their practices rather than their preachings.
Interpretation
The quote warns that societies may use the concept of freedom to justify authoritarian governance, urging evaluation based on actions instead of words.
Raymond Aron's quote highlights the paradox that despotic regimes can emerge under the guise of promoting liberty. He suggests that history teaches us to critically assess political groups not just on their ideologies or proclamations, but on their actual behaviors and governance styles, as the rhetoric of freedom may sometimes be used to mask oppressive realities.
In practice
In a political debate on governance, this quote could serve as a reminder to analyze policies over promises.
You think the end justifies the means, however vile. I tell you: the end is the means by which you achieve it. Today's step is tomorrow's life. Great ends cannot be attained by base means. You've proved that in all your social upheavals. The meanness and inhumanity of the means make you mean and inhuman and make the end unattainable.
Smack in the centre of contradiction is the place to be.
Thought is essentially practical in the sense that but for thought no motion would be an action, no change a progress.
There is no odor so bad as that which arises from goodness tainted.
My need is for safety, fun and to have distribution of resources, a sustainable life on the planet. NVC is a strategy that serves me to meet these needs.
We continue to blame the poor for their own condition. They are lazy. We do not want to know that the poorest of the poor are toddlers under three years of age.
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