Democracy requires an informed citizenry able to question its government.
Richard N. HaassRead
When great powers fade, as they inevitably must, it's normally for one of two reasons. Some powers exhaust themselves through overreach abroad, underinvestment at home, or a mixture of the two. This was the case for the Soviet Union. Other powers lose their privileged position with the emergence of new, stronger powers.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Great powers decline due to overextension or the rise of new powers.
Richard N. Haass highlights two main reasons for the decline of powerful nations: one is self-exhaustion caused by imperial overreach and lack of domestic investment, while the other is the inevitable competition from emerging stronger powers. This reflects historical patterns where, for instance, the Soviet Union's downfall was a result of these factors, indicating that no power is permanent.
Themes
PowerDeclineHistoryPoliticsEmergence
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about international relations, one could use this quote to illustrate the decline of historical empires.
More from Richard N. Haass
All quotes βAmerican influence in the world depends on the ability to act with real capacity and set an example that others will want to follow. This all takes resources.
Richard N. HaassRead
There is no getting around the reality that the second Iraq war was a war of choice; had it been carried out differently, it still would have been an expensive choice and almost certainly a bad one.
Richard N. HaassRead
Nationalism is a tool increasingly used by leaders to bolster their authority, especially amid difficult economic and political conditions.
Richard N. HaassRead
What countries must do to join the World Trade Organization is precisely what they must do to become productive and democratic: accept the rule of law, reduce corruption, and become open, accountable, and transparent.
Richard N. HaassRead
Terrorism needs to be de-legitimized in the way that slavery has been. Doing so will make governments and individuals think twice before becoming a party to terrorism; it should also make it less difficult to garner support for international action against those who nevertheless carry it out.
Richard N. HaassRead
Similar quotes
Government ... can't be trusted to control its own bureaucrats or collect taxes equitably or fill a pothole, much less decide which of its citizens to kill.
Helen PrejeanRead
If we live in a perpetual state of outrage, Trump wins. Because when we become depleted and exhausted and sapped of our energy, we're not as resourceful, creative, or effective.
Arianna HuffingtonRead
Always, since our birth, we've insisted on another way of doing politics. Now, we had the chance to do it without arms, but without stopping being Zapatistas; that's why we keep the masks on.
Subcomandante MarcosRead
Sen. McCain and Gov. Palin are sowing the seeds of hatred and division, and there is no need for this hostility in our political discourse.
John LewisRead
No sooner does an American president take his oath of office than the speculation begins: Will he be reelected in four years' time? If not, who will succeed him? A member of his own party? The other party?
Gore VidalRead
There are some militarists who say: βWe are not interested in politics but only in the profession of arms.β It is vital that these simple-minded militarists be made to realize the relationship that exists between politics and military affairs. Military action is a method used to attain a political goal. While military affairs and political affairs are not identical, it is impossible to isolate one from the other.
Mao ZedongRead