Politicians
Love of Humanity and
Public Causes, of the Poor and of Ideals of Better
Societies
There is genuine love in politics: the love of public
causes, of the poor, of ideals of more perfect
societies. There are many revolutions inspired by
principles of brotherly love, and we shouldn’t doubt the
good intentions of many politicians. As Morin wrote:
It’s countless the political acts inspired by the love
to citizenship and to humanity, and by the will to found
a better world.
E. Morin, French philosopher and sociologist, As
Grandes Questões Do Nosso Tempo
As in the Goethe tragedy, where the good intentions of
Faust causes the loss of Margarita, and the bad actions
of Mephistopheles ends by saving her, also in politics
the hell is full of good intentions.
E. Morin, French philosopher and sociologist, As
Grandes Questões Do Nosso Tempo
And why, we may ask?
The reasons are very diverse, obviously. Yet there is a
powerful and general explanation: the nature of our
loves, and the nature of the loves present in the
politician’s hearts (when they exist and are not just
trivial rhetoric).
In fact, love isn’t a simple pure thing. Often it is
mingled with pride, and vanity. Or mixed with ideas and
utopias, or with ignorance of what men are and how our
societies and economics work (which are other forms of
love of ideas).
And that – when applied to politicians – is a powerful
step to failure. It quickly empties the political love,
and closes each man in his world and his interests and
ideas - which is, after all, the more natural human
condition…
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Quotations
Ways of Seeing Politics
Government even in its best state, is but a necessary
evil.
Thomas Paine, 1737-1809, English Politician
All arts have produced wonders; just the art of
governing has only produced monsters.
Saint-Just, 1767-1794, French politician in Edgar Morin
As Grandes Questões Do Nosso Tempo
When madness ascends to power, who in the kingdom
escapes from infection?
J. M. Coetzee, South-african writer, A Idade do Ferro
Unlimited power is apt to corrupt the minds of those who
possess it.
William Pitt, 1708-1778, British politician, Speech
House of Commons 14/1/1766
There is no act of treachery or meanness of which a
political party is not capable; for in politics there is
no honour.
Benjamin Disraeli, 1804-1881, English politician,
Vivian Grey
A government big enough to give us everything we want is
a government big enough to take from us everything we
have.
Gerald Ford, American politician, cited in Time,
8/11/1976
It’s in politics that prevails the more simplistic
ideas, the less reliable, the more brutal, the more
deadly.
Politics deals with what there are of more complex and
precious: life, destiny, the freedom of the individual
and society, and, therefore, of mankind.
E. Morin, French philosopher and sociologist, As
Grandes Questões Do Nosso Tempo
The world is disgracefully managed, and one hardly know to
whom to complain.
Ronald Firbank, 1886-1926, British writer, Vanglory
Português
