Belief Quote by H.L. Mencken
““Democracy is a pathetic belief in the collective wisdom of individual ignorance. No one in this world, so far as I know—and I have researched the records for years, and employed agents to help me—has ever lost money by underestimating the intelligence of the great masses of the plain people. Nor has anyone ever lost public office thereby.””
About This Quote
Source Essay: “The American Language” by H.L. Mencken, 1919
The quote argues that trusting the masses’ collective judgment is foolish because history shows no one has been financially or politically harmed by underestimating them.
In simple terms: Blind faith in crowds is unwise.
Key Takeaway
Question assumptions about popular opinion.
Themes
skepticism
politics
human nature
Mood
cynical
critical
thoughtful
Type
aphilosophical
political
satirical
When to use this quote
- investment decisions
- election forecasts
- policy making
- media analysis
Key Concepts
mass psychology
cognitive bias
political theory
Questions to Reflect On
- When have crowds proved wiser than experts?
- What evidence supports or refutes this view?
A Different Perspective
It ignores cases where collective action succeeded, like social movements.
![“If there had been any formidable body of cannibals in the country he [Harry Truman] would have promised to provide them with free missionaries, fattened at the taxpayers’ expense.” quote by H.L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/3e7/h-l-mencken-2-5374_harry-truman_if-there-had-been-any-formidable-body-of_142631.jpg)
