Honest Quote by Abraham Lincoln
“Politicians are a set of men who have interests aside from the interests of the people and who, to say the most of them, are, taken as a mass, at least one long step removed from honest men”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Gettysburg Address, 1863
Politicians often prioritize personal or group interests over the public good, creating distance from ordinary citizens.
In simple terms: Politicians may put self‑interest before people.
Key Takeaway
Watch for self‑service motives.
Themes
politics
ethics
leadership
Mood
cautious
critical
Type
analytical
political
When to use this quote
- elections
- policy making
- community meetings
Key Concepts
public trust
conflict of interest
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you assess a politician’s true motives?
- What safeguards can reduce self‑interest?
A Different Perspective
Self‑interest can be justified as representing constituents.
![“Most of them [American politicians] are men of undoubted charm, ability, and incredible energy, and yet too often they lack purpose or appetite for anything beyond their own careers. With few notable exceptions, they are simply men who want to be loved.” quote by Edward R. Murrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/c2e/edward-r-murrow-7369_ability_most-of-them-american-politicians-are-me_899911.jpg)
![“[A politician is] a person skilled in the art of compromise. Usually an elected official who has compromised to get nominated, compromised to get elected, and compromised repeatedly to stay in office.” quote by Dick Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/ed0/dick-gregory-3266_art_a-politician-is-a-person-skilled-in-the_2224088.jpg)
![“Next came the Patent laws. These began in England in 1624; and, in this country, with the adoption of our constitution. Before then [these?], any man might instantly use what another had invented; so that the inventor had no special advantage from his own invention. The patent system changed this…” quote by Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/449/abraham-lincoln-88_adoption_next-came-the-patent-laws-these-began-in_1828.jpg)
