At this time, the cusp of the modern age, the hinge of the…
““At this time, the cusp of the modern age, the hinge of the nineteenth century, had a plebiscite been taken amongst all the inhabitants of the world, by far the great number of them, occupied as they were throughout the planet with daily business of agriculture of the slash and burn variety, warfare, metaphysics and procreation, would have heartily concurred with these indigenous Siberians that the whole idea of the twentieth century, or any other century at all, for that matter, was a rum notion. Had the global plebiscite been acted upon in a democratic manner, the twentieth century would have forthwith ceased to exist, the entire system of dividing up years by one hundred would have been abandoned and time, by popular consent, would have stood still.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
A hypothetical global vote could have halted the 20th century, showing how collective consent might reshape history.
In simple terms: A worldwide vote could have stopped the century’s course.
Key Takeaway
Consider the power of collective decision‑making.
Themes
history
democracy
counterfactuals
collective will
Mood
thoughtful
speculative
Type
philosophical
critical
When to use this quote
- global referendums
- policy debates
- historical simulations
- education curricula
Key Concepts
political theory
social change
time perception
Questions to Reflect On
- What would be the practical challenges of a global plebiscite?
- How does power imbalance affect collective decisions?
A Different Perspective
Assumes all populations share equal voice and knowledge, which is unrealistic.