--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The reverse is a system in which you…" description: "\"The reverse is a system in which you basically let people who were leaders in one way or another - people sometimes decried as party bosses, people who..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/202/geoffrey-cowan-42890_boss_the-reverse-is-a-system-in-which-you-bas_988519.jpg" --- # The reverse is a system in which you basically let people… ![“The reverse is a system in which you basically let people who were leaders in one way or another - people sometimes decried as party bosses, people who are part of special interests make the decision. And I think that's a worse system than the one we have.” quote by Geoffrey Cowan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/202/geoffrey-cowan-42890_boss_the-reverse-is-a-system-in-which-you-bas_988519.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/202/geoffrey-cowan-42890_boss_the-reverse-is-a-system-in-which-you-bas_988519.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/202/geoffrey-cowan-42890_boss_the-reverse-is-a-system-in-which-you-bas_988519.jpg) > “The reverse is a system in which you basically let people who were leaders in one way or another - people sometimes decried as party bosses, people who are part of special interests make the decision. And I think that's a worse system than the one we have.” [Geoffrey Cowan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-cowan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A system dominated by entrenched leaders and special interests is worse than the current one. **In simple terms:** Powerful elites make poorer decisions. Key Takeaway Beware of concentrated power. Themes politics leadership systems Mood cautious critical Type analysis political When to use this quote - government reform - voting - policy making - activism Key Concepts elite control decision making interest groups Questions to Reflect On - What safeguards can prevent elite capture? - How to balance experience with fresh ideas? A Different Perspective Not all leadership is negative; context matters. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Boss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boss/) [Decision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decision/) [Interest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interest/) [Leader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leader/) [Leadership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leadership/) [One way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/one-way/) [Party](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/party/) [Party Bosses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/party-bosses-286429/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [People Leaders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-leaders-437953/) [Reverse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reverse/) [Reverse Basically](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reverse-basically-2009865/) [Sometimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sometimes/) [Special](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/special/) [Special interests](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/special-interests/) [Think Worse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-worse-584204/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trump/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) ## Related quotes > [I will support my party when they are right on an issue, but am not afraid to stand up to party bosses who are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darlene-senger/i-will-support-my-party-when-they-are-right-on-an-issue-but-am-not/) [Darlene Senger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darlene-senger/) > [The bosses of the Democratic party and the bosses of the Republican party alike have a closer grip than ever before on the party…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/the-bosses-of-the-democratic-party-and-the-bosses-of-the-republican/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [What I try to keep an eye on is I don't work for the party bosses in Washington. I work for 26 million Texans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/what-i-try-to-keep-an-eye-on-is-i-don-t-work-for-the-party-bosses-in/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [When I was with the Labor Party, I'd get into trouble because the party bosses determined that some of what I wrote, or proposed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayaan-hirsi-ali/when-i-was-with-the-labor-party-i-d-get-into-trouble-because-the/) [Ayaan Hirsi Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayaan-hirsi-ali/) > [Ignoring party leaders in order to sway public opinion may work in countries where elected representatives are responsive to their constituencies. 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Leaders inspire others to do better than they would have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/the-common-goal-of-leaders-is-to-increase-the-value-and-productivity/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [Managers will tell people what to do, whereas leaders will inspire them to do it, and there are a few things that go into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-weiner/managers-will-tell-people-what-to-do-whereas-leaders-will-inspire/) [Jeff Weiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-weiner/) > [Managers help people see themselves as they are; Leaders help people to see themselves better than they are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/managers-help-people-see-themselves-as-they-are-leaders-help-people/) [Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/) > [The leaders who get the most out of their people are the leaders who care most about their people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-sinek/the-leaders-who-get-the-most-out-of-their-people-are-the-leaders-who/) [Simon Sinek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-sinek/) > [Religion is always in danger of growing apart from the people when its leaders forget to reflect carefully on their own behavior and come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senora-roy/religion-is-always-in-danger-of-growing-apart-from-the-people-when/) [Senora Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/senora-roy/) > [Some great people are leaders and others are more lucky, in the right place at the right time. I'd put myself in the latter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-wozniak/some-great-people-are-leaders-and-others-are-more-lucky-in-the-right/) [Steve Wozniak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-wozniak/) > [Leadership is accomplishing something through other people that wouldn't have happened if you weren't there. . . Leadership is being able to mobilize ideas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noel-tichy/leadership-is-accomplishing-something-through-other-people-that/) [Noel Tichy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noel-tichy/) > [“Don't take purposeless people as your leaders. Their life is like an empty book with a nice cover paper and you have attempted to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/don-t-take-purposeless-people-as-your-leaders-their-life-is-like-an/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) ## More by Geoffrey Cowan > [And so there are a lot of bad things. And in this campaign, if there's somebody you don't think should be nominated, if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-cowan/and-so-there-are-a-lot-of-bad-things-and-in-this-campaign-if-there-s/) [Geoffrey Cowan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-cowan/) > [To picture Roosevelt as a man at this time in his life - he felt he was old. He was 53 years old, feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-cowan/to-picture-roosevelt-as-a-man-at-this-time-in-his-life-he-felt-he-was/) [Geoffrey Cowan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-cowan/) > [ But he \[Franklin Roosevelt\] specifically prohibits any black participation from the Deep South, something which just infuriates people who'd been his supporters and who'd… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-cowan/but-he-franklin-roosevelt-specifically-prohibits-any-black/) [Geoffrey Cowan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-cowan/) > [And of course, in the case of Barack Obama, had he not won primaries - and particularly the heavily important caucus in Iowa -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-cowan/and-of-course-in-the-case-of-barack-obama-had-he-not-won-primaries/) [Geoffrey Cowan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-cowan/) > [Reagan, people claimed, was too old to run for president and to be elected. But he proved himself such a vigorous campaigner in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-cowan/reagan-people-claimed-was-too-old-to-run-for-president-and-to-be/) [Geoffrey Cowan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-cowan/) > [You know, the primary process itself is very confusing. But in the end, I guess I believe what Winston Churchill said, which is that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-cowan/you-know-the-primary-process-itself-is-very-confusing-but-in-the-end/) [Geoffrey Cowan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-cowan/) > [I think Roosevelt proves himself to be the ultimate political force in this book. He really wasn't for primaries until he realized it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-cowan/i-think-roosevelt-proves-himself-to-be-the-ultimate-political-force/) [Geoffrey Cowan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-cowan/) > [ When he \[Franklin Roosevelt\] ultimately does not get the Republican Party nomination and decides to start his new Bull Moose Party, he does, for… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-cowan/when-he-franklin-roosevelt-ultimately-does-not-get-the-republican/) [Geoffrey Cowan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-cowan/) > [So, in Kennedy's case, he was a Catholic. And people thought after the Al Smith election and so forth that a Catholic couldn't win…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-cowan/so-in-kennedy-s-case-he-was-a-catholic-and-people-thought-after-the/) [Geoffrey Cowan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-cowan/) [Explore all 10 Geoffrey Cowan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-cowan/) ## More Boss quotes > [ME AND SUMMER GUNNA BE MOVING IN TOGETHER HELL YA ITS GUNNA BE BOSS!!!!!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-hawes/me-and-summer-gunna-be-moving-in-together-hell-ya-its-gunna-be-boss/) [Jon Hawes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-hawes/) > [“having sex with her boss.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-henning/having-sex-with-her-boss/) [Stephen Henning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-henning/) > [Once in a while there's wisdom in recognizing that the Boss is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/once-in-a-while-there-s-wisdom-in-recognizing-that-the-boss-is/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [I understand the formula that producers hire directors and directors are hired to direct and actors are hired to act. 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That will probably be one… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-aguire/i-remember-robin-williams-walked-up-to-me-after-the-last-take-and/) [Roberto Aguire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-aguire/) > [For many of us, work is the one place where we feel appreciated. The things that we long to experience at home - pride…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlie-russell-hochschild/for-many-of-us-work-is-the-one-place-where-we-feel-appreciated-the/) [Arlie Russell Hochschild](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlie-russell-hochschild/) > [Your manager is your boss and tells you what to do, what to wear and who to be, so our relationship changed. I loved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mcdonald/your-manager-is-your-boss-and-tells-you-what-to-do-what-to-wear-and/) [Jane McDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mcdonald/) > [When I get home, I'm not the boss like I am at work - I slip into a more feminine role. 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They set traps, asking you to do things,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-greene/let-me-spell-it-out-with-the-psychotic-boss-nothing-you-do-is-ever/) [Robert Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-greene/) [Browse all 1,833 Boss quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boss/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The reverse is a system in which you basically let people who were leaders in one way or another - people sometimes decried as party bosses, people who are part of special interests make the decision. 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