Despotism can only exist in darkness, and there are too many lights now in the political firmament to permit it to remain anywhere, as it has heretofore done, almost everywhere.
James MadisonRead
Party and ideology routinely trump institutional interests and responsibilities. Regular order - the set of rules, norms and traditions designed to ensure a fair and transparent process - was the first casualty. The results: No serious deliberation. No meaningful oversight of the executive. A culture of corruption.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Political parties and ideologies often override institutional responsibilities, leading to a breakdown of fair processes.
In this quote, Thomas E. Mann highlights how party agendas and ideologies frequently take precedence over the responsibilities held by institutions, which undermines essential democratic practices. He argues that the erosion of established norms and rules represents a significant failure, leading to a lack of serious debate, inadequate oversight of government actions, and a pervasive culture of corruption within the political system.
Themes
PoliticsCorruptionDemocracyInstitutionOversightCulture
In practice
Example use cases
In a political debate, one might quote Mann to illustrate the pitfalls of prioritizing party loyalty over institutional duty.
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