On politics and politicians

I can’t believe I have waited this long before embarking on a page of quotations about politics.

Power tends to corrupt;  absolute power corrupts absolutely.  Great men are almost always bad men.

Lord Acton . 1834-1902 . English historian . letter to Mandell Creighton

A second-rate actor, [Tony Blair] turned out to be a crafty and avaricious politician, but without much substance;  bereft of ideas, he eagerly grasped and tried to improve upon the legacy of Margaret Thatcher.

Tariq Ali . 1943-  . British-Pakistani author, filmmaker, and historian . article, CounterPunch, 10 may 2007

States are doomed when they are unable to distinguish good men from bad.

Antisthenes . c445-c365 bce . Greek philosopher . quoted in Lives of eminent philosophers (Diogenes Laërtius)

It is not power that corrupts but fear.  Fear of losing power corrupts those who wield it and fear of the scourge of power corrupts those who are subject to it.

Aung San Suu Kyi . 1945-   . Burmese social activist . acceptance message, Sakharov prize (1991)

The notion that business and government are and should be partners is ubiquitous, unremarkable, and repeated like a mantra by leaders in both domains.  It seems a compelling and innocuous idea—until you think about what it really means.

Joel Bakan . 1959-  . Canadian lawyer and writer . The corporation (2004)

I think there are two ways in which people are controlled.  First of all frighten people and secondly, demoralize them. 

Tony Benn . 1925-2014 . British politician . interview with Michael Moore, Sicko (2007)

I am the Jesus Christ of politics.  I am a patient victim, I sacrifice myself for everyone.

Silvio Berlusconi . 1936-  . Italian businessman and politician . quoted in The observer

Lead me into war… you know I believe in you.

Tony Blair . 1953-  . British politician . of the Iraq war;  said to George W Bush, 31 jan 2003

Indecision and delays are the parents of failure.

George Canning . 1770-1827 . British politician

Rights aren’t rights if someone can take them away. They’re privileges. That’s all we’ve ever had in this country, is a bill of temporary privileges.

George Carlin . 1937-2008 . US comedian and writer . It’s bad for ’ya

It is the fundamental duty of the citizen to resist and to restrain the violence of the state. Those who choose to disregard this responsibility can justly be accused of complicity in war crimes.

Noam Chomsky . 1928-  . US linguist, cognitive scientist, philosopher, activist . quoted in International war crimes tribunal: against the crime of silence (Duffett, 1970)

You have sat too long for any good you have been doing lately…  Depart, I say;  and let us have done with you.  In the name of God, go!

Oliver Cromwell . 1599-1658 . English military and political leader . address to the Rump Parliament (1653)

a politician is an arse upon
which everyone has sat except a man

EE Cummings . 1894-1962 . US poet . 1 × 1

selection copyright © 2016 Jeremy Marchant . uploaded 8 march 2016