What we want is to see the child in pursuit of knowledge, and not knowledge in pursuit of the child.
George Bernard ShawRead
In your dread of dictators you established a state of society in which every ward boss is a dictator, every private employer a dictator, every financier a dictator, all with the livelihood of the workers at his mercy, and no public responsibility.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote highlights the irony of fearing authoritarian leaders while allowing everyday figures to wield dictatorial power over workers without accountability.
George Bernard Shaw critiques the way society, in its fear of overt dictatorship, has inadvertently fostered a structure where individuals in positions of power—like ward bosses, employers, and financiers—exercise unchecked authority over workers. This creates a paradox where the very institutions meant to protect democracy instead perpetuate a different form of oppression, emphasizing the need for accountability and responsibility in all levels of leadership.
Themes
DictatorshipPowerWorkersAccountabilitySociety
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in discussions about labor rights and the importance of fair workplaces.
More from George Bernard Shaw
All quotes →Marriage is good enough for the lower classes: they have facilities for desertion that are denied to us.
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Forgive him, for he believes that the customs of his tribe are the laws of nature!
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Those who talk most about the blessings of marriage and the constancy of its vows are the very people who declare that if the chain were broken and the prisoners left free to choose, the whole social fabric would fly asunder. You cannot have the argument both ways. If the prisoner is happy, why lock him in? If he is not, why pretend that he is?
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Treat a friend as a person who may someday become your enemy; an enemy as a person who may someday become your friend.
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The happiness of credulity is a cheap and dangerous quality.
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