--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Patronage is almost a wicked word. By…" description: "\"Patronage is almost a wicked word. By itself it could well-nigh defeat democracy.\" — Dwight D. Eisenhower" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d9a/dwight-d-eisenhower-499_defeat_patronage-is-almost-a-wicked-word-by-its_2616038.jpg" --- # Patronage is almost a wicked word. By itself it could… ![“Patronage is almost a wicked word. By itself it could well-nigh defeat democracy.” quote by Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d9a/dwight-d-eisenhower-499_defeat_patronage-is-almost-a-wicked-word-by-its_2616038.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d9a/dwight-d-eisenhower-499_defeat_patronage-is-almost-a-wicked-word-by-its_2616038.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d9a/dwight-d-eisenhower-499_defeat_patronage-is-almost-a-wicked-word-by-its_2616038.jpg) > “Patronage is almost a wicked word. By itself it could well-nigh defeat democracy.” [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Warns that patronage can undermine democracy, suggesting it is a harmful practice. **In simple terms:** Patronage threatens democratic health. Key Takeaway Avoid favoritism in public affairs. Themes politics democracy corruption Mood cautionary serious Type quote political When to use this quote - elections - public appointments - policy making - non‑profit funding Key Concepts ethics government accountability Questions to Reflect On - How can transparency reduce patronage? - What safeguards protect democratic institutions? A Different Perspective May oversimplify complex political realities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Defeat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defeat/) [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) ## Related quotes > [Urge all of your men to pray, not alone in church, but everywhere. Pray when driving. Pray when fighting. Pray alone. Pray with others.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-s-patton/urge-all-of-your-men-to-pray-not-alone-in-church-but-everywhere-pray/) [George S. 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Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [I've always felt that any establishment that doesn't welcome me with open arms doesn't deserve my patronage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-plum/i-ve-always-felt-that-any-establishment-that-doesn-t-welcome-me-with/) [Amy Plum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-plum/) > [We must learn to be self-reliant and independent of schools, courts, protection and patronage of a Government we seek to end, if it will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/we-must-learn-to-be-self-reliant-and-independent-of-schools-courts/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [If a patron buys from an artist who needs money (needs money to buy tools, time, food), the patron then makes himself equal to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-pound/if-a-patron-buys-from-an-artist-who-needs-money-needs-money-to-buy/) [Ezra Pound](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-pound/) > [“I used to ask myself, ‘Sergei, would you rather spend your money on drink or women?’ and thanks to the club, I spend it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melika-dannese-lux/i-used-to-ask-myself-sergei-would-you-rather-spend-your-money-on/) [Melika Dannese Lux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melika-dannese-lux/) > [I do not want any patronage, as I do not give any. I am a lover of my own liberty, and so I would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-do-not-want-any-patronage-as-i-do-not-give-any-i-am-a-lover-of-my/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [I know so well what becomes of unmarried women who aren't prepared to occupy a position. I've seen such pitiful cases in the South…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tennessee-williams/i-know-so-well-what-becomes-of-unmarried-women-who-aren-t-prepared-to/) [Tennessee Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tennessee-williams/) > [How is a magician to exist without books? Let someone explain that to me. It is like asking a politician to achieve high office…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susanna-clarke/how-is-a-magician-to-exist-without-books-let-someone-explain-that-to/) [Susanna Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susanna-clarke/) > [Each of the Arts whose office is to refine, purify, adorn, embellish and grace life is under the patronage of a Muse, no god…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliza-farnham/each-of-the-arts-whose-office-is-to-refine-purify-adorn-embellish-and/) Eliza Farnham > [The philosophy behind Patreon is that all the great art we have known has been made because of patronage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-conte/the-philosophy-behind-patreon-is-that-all-the-great-art-we-have-known/) [Jack Conte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-conte/) ## More by Dwight D. Eisenhower > [You, of Canada, are building a magnificent record of achievement. My country rejoices in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/you-of-canada-are-building-a-magnificent-record-of-achievement-my/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [“Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/every-gun-that-is-made-every-warship-launched-every-rocket-fired/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [We have won an armistice on a single battlefield, not peace in our world. We may not now relax our guard nor cease our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/we-have-won-an-armistice-on-a-single-battlefield-not-peace-in-our/) [Dwight D. 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Any nations attempt to dictate to other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/any-nations-right-to-a-form-of-government-and-economic-system-of-its/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [The peace we seek, founded upon decent trust and cooperation among nations, can be fortified not by weapons of war but by wheat and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/the-peace-we-seek-founded-upon-decent-trust-and-cooperation-among/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [The only way to win World War III is to prevent it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/the-only-way-to-win-world-war-iii-is-to-prevent-it/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [I’m going to pass a law that no one can ask me my golf score.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/i-m-going-to-pass-a-law-that-no-one-can-ask-me-my-golf-score/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [For all that we cherish and justly desire - for ourselves or for our children - the securing of peace is the first requisite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/for-all-that-we-cherish-and-justly-desire-for-ourselves-or-for-our/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [Never waste a minute thinking about people you don't like.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/never-waste-a-minute-thinking-about-people-you-don-t-like/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [Do not needlessly endanger your lives until I give you the signal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/do-not-needlessly-endanger-your-lives-until-i-give-you-the-signal/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) [Explore all 515 Dwight D. Eisenhower quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) ## More Defeat quotes > [A poor self-image is the magnifying glass that can transform a trivial mistake or an imperfection into an overwhelming symbol of personal defeat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/a-poor-self-image-is-the-magnifying-glass-that-can-transform-a/) [David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/) > [Even though you can't expect to defeat the absurdity of the world, you must make that attempt. That's morality, that's religion. That's art. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-ochs/even-though-you-can-t-expect-to-defeat-the-absurdity-of-the-world-you/) [Phil Ochs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-ochs/) > [The devil has been defeated, stop trying to defeat him. 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