“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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