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The people who cast the votes don't decide an election, the people who count the votes do.
Joseph Stalin
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Interpretation

What this quote means

Elections are influenced more by those who tally the votes than by those who cast them.

This quote by Joseph Stalin highlights the critical importance of the vote counting process in determining election outcomes. It suggests that the power to sway results lies not just in the act of voting, but fundamentally in who has the control and authority over the counting process, emphasizing potential manipulation or control behind the scenes in electoral politics.

Themes

ElectionVotesPowerControlDemocracy

In practice

Example use cases

During a debate on electoral integrity, one might use this quote.

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If any foreign minister begins to defend to the death a 'peace conference,' you can be sure his government has already placed its orders for new battleships and airplanes.
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I consider it completely unimportant who in the party will vote, or how; but what is extraordinarily important is this - who will count the votes, and how.
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