Mankind, when left to themselves, are unfit for their own government.
George WashingtonRead
In politics you must always keep running with the pack. The moment that you falter and they sense that you are injured, the rest will turn on you like wolves.
Interpretation
In politics, one must stay strong and united; vulnerability attracts opportunism from others.
Rab Butler's quote highlights the competitive and often ruthless nature of politics. It suggests that a political figure must appear strong and relentless, as any sign of weakness can lead to an immediate and aggressive reaction from opponents, who will be eager to capitalize on that vulnerability.
In practice
A political leader may use this quote during a campaign to emphasize the need for resilience against opponents.
Mankind, when left to themselves, are unfit for their own government.
I dont think that unless a greater effort is made by the Government to win popular support that the war can be won out there. In the final analysis, it is their war. They are the ones who have to win it or lose it. We can help them, we can give them equipment, we can send our men out there as advisers, but they have to win it, the people of Viet-Nam, against the Communists.
One person alone can't do anything as important as bringing genuine democracy to a country.
Bolivia is a striking example. The mostly white, Europeanized elite, which is a minority, happens to be sitting on most of the hydrocarbon reserves. For the first time Bolivia is becoming democratic. So it's therefore bitterly hated by the West, which despises democracy, because it's much too dangerous.
A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until a majority of voters discover that they can vote themselves largess out of the public treasury.
You mention the Navy, for example, and the fact that we have fewer ships than we did in 1916. Well governor, we also have fewer horses and bayonets.
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