Common Quote by Bernard Crick
“The plain truth is that what holds a free state together is neither general will nor a common interest, but simply politics itself.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Moral Problem of Politics, 1975
A free society is sustained not by shared desires or interests, but by the structures and processes of politics itself.
In simple terms: Politics, not common will, holds freedom together.
Key Takeaway
Focus on political institutions.
Themes
politics
freedom
society
governance
Mood
analytical
critical
Type
philosophical
political
When to use this quote
- policy making
- civic education
- constitutional design
- public debate
Key Concepts
social contract
power dynamics
institutional theory
Questions to Reflect On
- How do political institutions protect liberty?
- What role does civic engagement play?
A Different Perspective
Political consensus alone cannot guarantee freedom.
![“A disunited people till the end of time, suspicious and distrustful of each other, [the Americans] will be divided and subdivided into little commonwealths... with no center of union and no common interest.” quote by Josiah Tucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/184/josiah-tucker-88359_american-revolution_a-disunited-people-till-the-end-of-time_949475.jpg)
![“Neither Italian fascism nor German national "socialism" have anything in common with such a [Soviet socialistic] society, primarily because private ownership of factories, plants, lands, banks, means of transportation, etc., remain untouched there, and, therefore, capitalism in Germany and Italy…” quote by Joseph Stalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/411/joseph-stalin-1734_capitalism_neither-italian-fascism-nor-german-natio_1430.jpg)
