The art of politics, under democracy, is simply the art of…
“The art of politics, under democracy, is simply the art of ringing it. Two branches reveal themselves. There is the art of the demagogue, and there is the art of what may be called, by a shot-gun marriage of Latin and Greek, the demaslave. They are complementary, and both of them are degrading to their practitioners. The demagogue is one who preaches doctrines he knows to be untrue to men he knows to be idiots. The demaslave is one who listens to what these idiots have to say and then pretends that he believes it himself.”
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Describes democracy's politics as two degrading arts: demagoguery and demaslave, both corrupting practitioners.
In simple terms: Politics can be corrupt and insincere.
Key Takeaway
Beware of false rhetoric.
Themes
politics
democracy
corruption
manipulation
Mood
cynical
critical
skeptical
Type
satirical
observational
When to use this quote
- election campaigns
- media commentary
- public speeches
- policy debates
Key Concepts
demagoguery
demaslave
degradation
public discourse
Questions to Reflect On
- What drives politicians to deceive?
- How can citizens detect insincerity?
A Different Perspective
Not all political speech is deceitful.