I don't think nations can stand aside for ethnic cleansing and genocide.
John MajorRead
The sight of allegedly sophisticated politicians parroting complete tripe trivialises and demeans government and it has to be stopped. It's played a significant part in public disillusionment with politics and has led to the absurd situation where more people vote for 'Strictly Come Dancing' than voted in the general election.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote criticizes the superficiality and absurdity in politics that leads to public disillusionment.
John Major expresses concern over the trivialization of politics by politicians who say meaningless things, which undermines the integrity of government. He highlights the worrying trend where people show more interest in entertainment shows than in political elections, indicating a growing disillusionment with political engagement among the public.
Themes
PoliticsDisillusionmentGovernmentPublic EngagementEntertainment
In practice
Example use cases
During a debate on political reform, this quote can illustrate the need for serious discussion about government credibility.
More from John Major
All quotes →The argument that someone is a bad man is an inadequate argument for war and certainly an inadequate and unacceptable argument for regime change.
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Whether you agree with me or disagree with me; like me or loathe me, don't bind my hands when I am negotiating on behalf of the British nation.
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