Country Quote by Al Smith
“The thing we have to fear in this country, to my way of thinking, is the influence of the organized minorities, because somehow or other the great majority does not seem to organize. They seem to feel that they are going to be effective because of their own strength, but they give no expression of it.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: 1920 Democratic National Convention, United States
The quote warns that minority groups can wield disproportionate power when the majority fails to organize, leading to imbalance in influence.
In simple terms: Minorities may dominate if the majority stays passive.
Key Takeaway
Encourage collective action among the majority.
Themes
politics
power
minorities
majority
organization
Mood
concerned
critical
Type
political
observational
When to use this quote
- elections
- community organizing
- policy advocacy
- grassroots movements
Key Concepts
democratic participation
social dynamics
Questions to Reflect On
- How can the majority build effective organization?
- What barriers prevent majority mobilization?
A Different Perspective
Majorities may lack cohesion despite numbers.
![“That country [Carthage] was rapidly sinking into the state of barbarism from whence it had been raised by the Phoenician colonies and Roman laws; and every step of intestine discord was marked by some deplorable victory of savage man over civilized society.” quote by Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/70c/edward-gibbon-710_barbarism_that-country-carthage-was-rapidly-sinkin_393.jpg)
