--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Diplomats bluster and bluff, but…" description: "\"Diplomats bluster and bluff, but democracies don't really have that many tools they can use to push back, effectively, against the seductive ideas of d..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/455/anne-applebaum-2544_bluff_diplomats-bluster-and-bluff-but-democrac_2478174.png" --- # Diplomats bluster and bluff, but democracies don't really… ![“Diplomats bluster and bluff, but democracies don't really have that many tools they can use to push back, effectively, against the seductive ideas of dictators.” quote by Anne Applebaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/455/anne-applebaum-2544_bluff_diplomats-bluster-and-bluff-but-democrac_2478174.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/455/anne-applebaum-2544_bluff_diplomats-bluster-and-bluff-but-democrac_2478174.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/455/anne-applebaum-2544_bluff_diplomats-bluster-and-bluff-but-democrac_2478174.png) > “Diplomats bluster and bluff, but democracies don't really have that many tools they can use to push back, effectively, against the seductive ideas of dictators.” [Anne Applebaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-applebaum/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Democracies lack the blunt tools dictators use, requiring nuanced strategies to counter authoritarian ideas **In simple terms:** Democracies must use subtle, strategic means against dictatorial influence Key Takeaway Employ strategic persuasion and resilience in democracy Themes democracy authoritarianism strategy Mood analytical cautious Type political strategic When to use this quote - policy making - media campaigns - education initiatives Key Concepts political theory information warfare Questions to Reflect On - What tools can democracies develop? - How to balance openness with security? A Different Perspective Subtle tactics may be slower and less decisive ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bluff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bluff/) [Bluff Democracies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bluff-democracies-834662/) [Democracies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracies/) [Democracies Don](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracies-don-834663/) [Dictators](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dictators/) [Diplomats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/diplomats/) [Diplomats Bluster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/diplomats-bluster-834661/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Push](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/push/) [Tools](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tools/) ## Related quotes > [Democracies don't go to war against each other, and by and large they don't sponsor terrorism. They're more likely to respect the environment and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/democracies-don-t-go-to-war-against-each-other-and-by-and-large-they/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [“Democracies don't even withstand formally half educated citizens. Courtesy, respect, and sensibility don't tend to ethical sense. Nature nurtures, if compared to most good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/democracies-don-t-even-withstand-formally-half-educated-citizens/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I would argue that in times of war, sealed lips sink entire democracies. 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You learn that if you don't handle your business, someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omar-rodriguez-lopez/you-start-to-learn-that-democracies-don-t-work-when-it-comes-to/) [Omar Rodriguez-Lopez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omar-rodriguez-lopez/) > [Democracies don't war; democracies are peaceful countries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/democracies-don-t-war-democracies-are-peaceful-countries/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [Most liberal democracies don't try to figure out what the truth is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-dershowitz/most-liberal-democracies-don-t-try-to-figure-out-what-the-truth-is/) [Alan Dershowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-dershowitz/) > [Democracies don't go to war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manmohan-singh/democracies-don-t-go-to-war/) [Manmohan Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manmohan-singh/) > [Democracies don't prepare well for things that have never happened before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-a-clarke/democracies-don-t-prepare-well-for-things-that-have-never-happened/) [Richard A. Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-a-clarke/) > [When democracies don't deliver growth, alternatives seem more attractive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jens-martin-skibsted/when-democracies-don-t-deliver-growth-alternatives-seem-more/) [Jens Martin Skibsted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jens-martin-skibsted/) > [“Democracies, as we know, are prone to every error from incompetence and corruption to misguided fetishes and gridlock. Therefore, it is astonishing, in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-k-albright/democracies-as-we-know-are-prone-to-every-error-from-incompetence-and/) [Madeleine K. Albright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-k-albright/) > [One of the most perplexing political questions of the late 20th century is how new democracies should punish deposed dictators and their associates. Victims…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-kinzer/one-of-the-most-perplexing-political-questions-of-the-late-20th/) [Stephen Kinzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-kinzer/) > [Dictators can fix up their entire families in good jobs, in or around government, and often do. In democracies, such a practice is frowned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-reid/dictators-can-fix-up-their-entire-families-in-good-jobs-in-or-around/) [Jimmy Reid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-reid/) > [Clearly, the inhabitants of stable democracies find it hard to appreciate what they have: 'You don't know what you've got 'til it's gone' isn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-applebaum/clearly-the-inhabitants-of-stable-democracies-find-it-hard-to/) [Anne Applebaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-applebaum/) ## More by Anne Applebaum > [Quite a lot has been written, including by me, about the effect of social media on politics, and in particular the way in which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-applebaum/quite-a-lot-has-been-written-including-by-me-about-the-effect-of/) [Anne Applebaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-applebaum/) > [After Trump became president, it was really too late to investigate his dodgy investments in Azerbaijan or his links to Russian money laundering. Those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-applebaum/after-trump-became-president-it-was-really-too-late-to-investigate/) [Anne Applebaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-applebaum/) > [If Reagan and John Paul II were linked by anything, it was a grand, ambitious, and generous idea of Western political civilization, one in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-applebaum/if-reagan-and-john-paul-ii-were-linked-by-anything-it-was-a-grand/) [Anne Applebaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-applebaum/) > [Until the attack on Pearl Harbor, isolationism was an important, even dominant strand in U.S. politics. After the Second World War, this strand disappeared,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-applebaum/until-the-attack-on-pearl-harbor-isolationism-was-an-important-even/) [Anne Applebaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-applebaum/) > [The U.S.S.R. was a totalitarian state in which judges and prosecutors were controlled by the ruling party. The result was injustice, oppression and corruption.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-applebaum/the-u-s-s-r-was-a-totalitarian-state-in-which-judges-and-prosecutors/) [Anne Applebaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-applebaum/) > [One knows, of course, that Donald Trump behaves differently from the leaders of other countries, especially the leaders of other Western democracies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-applebaum/one-knows-of-course-that-donald-trump-behaves-differently-from-the/) [Anne Applebaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-applebaum/) > [As a nation, we are not good at long-term planning, and no wonder: Our political system insists that every president be allowed to appoint…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-applebaum/as-a-nation-we-are-not-good-at-long-term-planning-and-no-wonder-our/) [Anne Applebaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-applebaum/) > [Amazingly, quite a few people, even some American conservatives, are taken in by Russian tactics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-applebaum/amazingly-quite-a-few-people-even-some-american-conservatives-are/) [Anne Applebaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-applebaum/) > [Like wealth, or health, political freedom may simply be something that people don't value if they've always had it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-applebaum/like-wealth-or-health-political-freedom-may-simply-be-something-that/) [Anne Applebaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-applebaum/) > [Unlike most European countries, the police in the US are decentralized; even the FBI has regional offices. Amending the constitution is a long and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-applebaum/unlike-most-european-countries-the-police-in-the-us-are-decentralized/) [Anne Applebaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-applebaum/) > [The hard truth is that Trump was not exceptional. He was just another amoral Western businessman, one of many whom the ex-KGB elite have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-applebaum/the-hard-truth-is-that-trump-was-not-exceptional-he-was-just-another/) [Anne Applebaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-applebaum/) > [Politics in Slovakia had long been a battle between egotistical men. Caputova sought to be the anti-ego alternative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-applebaum/politics-in-slovakia-had-long-been-a-battle-between-egotistical-men/) [Anne Applebaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-applebaum/) > [European security may now depend on Germany, France, Britain and one or two others, and it's better to start planning now for the possibility…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-applebaum/european-security-may-now-depend-on-germany-france-britain-and-one-or/) [Anne Applebaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-applebaum/) > [Americans might not want to intervene in the outside world, but the outside world will still want to intervene in America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-applebaum/americans-might-not-want-to-intervene-in-the-outside-world-but-the/) [Anne Applebaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-applebaum/) > [Romney was an excellent businessman with a strong record as a public servant - whereas Trump inherited wealth, went bankrupt more than once, created…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-applebaum/romney-was-an-excellent-businessman-with-a-strong-record-as-a-public/) [Anne Applebaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-applebaum/) [Explore all 161 Anne Applebaum quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-applebaum/) ## More Bluff quotes > [Never run a bluff with a six-gun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bat-masterson/never-run-a-bluff-with-a-six-gun/) [Bat Masterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bat-masterson/) > [You can't bluff someone that's not paying attention.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-mantegna/you-can-t-bluff-someone-that-s-not-paying-attention/) [Joe Mantegna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-mantegna/) > [Memphis don't bluff. It's a tight knit community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-fizdale/memphis-don-t-bluff-it-s-a-tight-knit-community/) [David Fizdale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-fizdale/) > [As president of the United States, I don't bluff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/as-president-of-the-united-states-i-don-t-bluff/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [“When life fucks you over, you don’t slow down. You just keep going, keep moving, eyes peeled for the next opportunity, the next dance.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heidi-cullinan/when-life-fucks-you-over-you-don-t-slow-down-you-just-keep-going-keep/) [Heidi Cullinan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heidi-cullinan/) > [I was from Scotts Bluff, Neb.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-meisner/i-was-from-scotts-bluff-neb/) [Randy Meisner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-meisner/) > [“And what if there are no damsels in distress? What if I knew that, and I called your bluff? Don't you think every kitten…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ani-difranco/and-what-if-there-are-no-damsels-in-distress-what-if-i-knew-that-and/) [Ani Difranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ani-difranco/) > [“Bluff ain't effective for people of type-A.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/bluff-ain-t-effective-for-people-of-type-a/) [Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/) > [A bluff taken seriously is more useful than a serious threat interpreted as a bluff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-a-kissinger/a-bluff-taken-seriously-is-more-useful-than-a-serious-threat/) [Henry A. Kissinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-a-kissinger/) > [Poker is really about reading people. What happens when you bluff? What does it look like when the other guy bluffs? Does he look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-hellmuth/poker-is-really-about-reading-people-what-happens-when-you-bluff-what/) [Phil Hellmuth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-hellmuth/) > [“At literary gatherings he made a practice of slipping away from “the gaunt and great, the famed for conversation” (as he called them in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/at-literary-gatherings-he-made-a-practice-of-slipping-away-from-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Fencing is a game of subtlety, and bluff can be met with counter-bluff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-l-de-beaumont/fencing-is-a-game-of-subtlety-and-bluff-can-be-met-with-counter-bluff/) [Charles L De Beaumont](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-l-de-beaumont/) > [Nothing in baseball can bring me down to the level where I was growing up in Pine Bluff, crying and broke. This is fun…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/torii-hunter/nothing-in-baseball-can-bring-me-down-to-the-level-where-i-was/) [Torii Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/torii-hunter/) > [I love The Inn at Palmetto Bluff, an Auberge Property in Bluffton, South Carolina. It's a spectacular corner of the world, with massive old…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-simmons/i-love-the-inn-at-palmetto-bluff-an-auberge-property-in-bluffton/) [Gail Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-simmons/) > [If you never bluff, you'll rarely get called. If you bluff all the time, you'll always get called.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-hellmuth/if-you-never-bluff-you-ll-rarely-get-called-if-you-bluff-all-the-time/) [Phil Hellmuth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-hellmuth/) [Browse all 45 Bluff quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bluff/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Diplomats bluster and bluff, but democracies don't really have that many tools they can use to push back, effectively, against the seductive ideas of dictators.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Anne Applebaum" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-applebaum/diplomats-bluster-and-bluff-but-democracies-don-t-really-have-that/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bluff" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-applebaum/diplomats-bluster-and-bluff-but-democracies-don-t-really-have-that/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/455/anne-applebaum-2544_bluff_diplomats-bluster-and-bluff-but-democrac_2478174.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/455/anne-applebaum-2544_bluff_diplomats-bluster-and-bluff-but-democrac_2478174.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/455/anne-applebaum-2544_bluff_diplomats-bluster-and-bluff-but-democrac_2478174.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Diplomats bluster and bluff, but democracies don't really have that many tools they can use to push back…” — Anne Applebaum", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Anne Applebaum", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-applebaum/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Diplomats bluster and bluff, but democracies...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-applebaum/diplomats-bluster-and-bluff-but-democracies-don-t-really-have-that/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-applebaum/diplomats-bluster-and-bluff-but-democracies-don-t-really-have-that/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```