Saturday, January 21, 2017

Quote of the Day (Aldous Huxley, on Demagogues)



“Demagogues succeed for the same reason as confidence tricksters—because they have a gift of the gab, charm, and an intuitive knowledge of human nature, because their personality is magnetic, and their manner open and affable. Men and women are so suggestible, so easily gulled, that a talented swindler can always be sure of making a handsome living. How much more certain of success is a demagogue! For demagogues do not ask their victims to give them a wad of banknotes; they only ask for votes. You can buy things with banknotes; voting papers are worth nothing. Every one is prepared to be generous with his vote.”British novelist-essayist Aldous Huxley (1894–1963), “Political Democracy,” in Complete Essays, Vol. 2: 1926-1929, edited by Robert S. Baker and  James Sexton  (2000)

Well, we haven’t seen anything like this in the United States recently, have we?

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