American politics is a struggle, not of men but of forces. The men become every year more and more creatures of force, massed about central power houses.
Henry AdamsRead
Politics, as a practise, whatever its professions, has always been the systematic organization of hatreds.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Politics often organizes and utilizes underlying hostilities within society.
Henry Adams emphasizes that politics is not just about governance or policy; it systematically harnesses and organizes the various hatreds that exist in society. This suggests a critical view of political activities, implying that they can often exacerbate divisions rather than promote unity.
Themes
PoliticsHatredDivisionSocietyOrganization
In practice
Example use cases
In a debate about political strategies, one might quote Adams to illustrate how politicians exploit societal divisions.
More from Henry Adams
All quotes βOf all studies, the one he would rather have avoided was that of his own mind. He knew no tragedy so heartrending as introspection.
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Simplicity is the most deceitful mistress that ever betrayed man.
Henry AdamsRead
Church and State, Soul and Body, God and Man, are all one at Mont Saint Michel, and the business of all is to fight, each in his own way, or to stand guard for each other.
Henry AdamsRead
The American President resembles the commander of a ship at sea. He must have a helm to grasp, a course to steer, a port to seek.
Henry AdamsRead
The effect of power and publicity on all men is the aggravation of self, a sort of tumor that ends by killing the victim's sympathies.
Henry AdamsRead
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