Laws are like sausages. You sleep far better the less you know about how they are made.
Otto Von BismarckRead
The statesman's task is to hear God's footsteps marching through history, and to try and catch on to His coattails as He marches past.
Interpretation
What this quote means
A statesman must recognize the larger forces of history and align with them to succeed.
In this quote, Otto Von Bismarck emphasizes the role of a statesman in interpreting the events of history as they unfold. The metaphor of hearing 'God's footsteps' suggests a divine or inevitable progression of history, and the task of a leader is to understand this momentum and position themselves effectively within it, essentially striving to adapt and ride the wave of historical change.
Themes
LeadershipHistoryStatesmanChangeAdaptation
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about visionary leadership, one could use this quote to illustrate the importance of understanding historical context.
More from Otto Von Bismarck
All quotes βPreventive war is like committing suicide out of fear of death.
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With a gentleman I am always a gentleman and a half, and with a fraud I try to be a fraud and a half.
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Politics is the art of the possible, the attainable β the art of the next best
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It is the destiny of the weak to be devoured by the strong.
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A generation that has taken a beating is always followed by a generation that deals one.
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