What we want is to see the child in pursuit of knowledge, and not knowledge in pursuit of the child.
George Bernard ShawRead
It is said that every people has the Government it deserves. It is more to the point that every Government has the electorate it deserves; for the orator of the front bench can edify or debauch an ignorant electorate at will.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quality of a government reflects the character of its citizens, and an uninformed electorate is easily manipulated by leaders.
George Bernard Shaw suggests that the nature of a government is a direct reflection of the people who elect it. If the electorate is ignorant or uninformed, it allows those in power, like orators and politicians, to either enlighten or corrupt public opinion and behavior. This highlights the responsibility citizens have in educating themselves to maintain a healthy democracy.
Themes
GovernmentElectorateResponsibilityEducationDemocracy
In practice
Example use cases
During a political debate, one could use this quote to emphasize the importance of an informed electorate.
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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