--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We are ever aware that politics is an…" description: "\"We are ever aware that politics is an ugly struggle that determines 'who gets what, when, and how.' It is the favorite occupation of people who serve ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/257/hans-f-sennholz-14211_axes_we-are-ever-aware-that-politics-is-an-ug_1465593.png" --- # We are ever aware that politics is an ugly struggle that… ![“We are ever aware that politics is an ugly struggle that determines 'who gets what, when, and how.' It is the favorite occupation of people who serve special interests, who have axes to grind, and public careers to advance. It is a game in which benefits are bestowed according to political skill…” quote by Hans F. Sennholz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/257/hans-f-sennholz-14211_axes_we-are-ever-aware-that-politics-is-an-ug_1465593.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/257/hans-f-sennholz-14211_axes_we-are-ever-aware-that-politics-is-an-ug_1465593.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/257/hans-f-sennholz-14211_axes_we-are-ever-aware-that-politics-is-an-ug_1465593.png) > “We are ever aware that politics is an ugly struggle that determines 'who gets what, when, and how.' It is the favorite occupation of people who serve special interests, who have axes to grind, and public careers to advance. It is a game in which benefits are bestowed according to political skill and connection, rather than merit.” [Hans F. Sennholz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-f-sennholz/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Politics is portrayed as a self‑serving arena where influence outweighs merit, favoring special interests over the public good. **In simple terms:** Politics rewards connections over competence. Key Takeaway Beware of power that serves narrow interests. Themes politics ethics power meritocracy Mood cynical critical skeptical Type analytical political When to use this quote - campaign strategy - policy advocacy - government hiring - public procurement - legislative lobbying Key Concepts interest groups political patronage elite capture Questions to Reflect On - How do you identify when politics serves the public versus special interests? - What mechanisms can reduce patronage? A Different Perspective It may overlook genuine public service motivations. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Connections](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/connections/) [Games](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/games/) [Interest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interest/) [Occupation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/occupation/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Skills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/skills/) [Special interests](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/special-interests/) [Struggle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/struggle/) ## Related quotes > [American cities are kind of difficult contexts to work in. They are politically complex. There are a lot of different interest groups. It takes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-mitchell/american-cities-are-kind-of-difficult-contexts-to-work-in-they-are/) [William J. Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-mitchell/) > [I am increasingly convinced that people who have power are not necessarily smarter than others. Beyond a certain level of intelligence and level in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-pfeffer/i-am-increasingly-convinced-that-people-who-have-power-are-not/) [Jeffrey Pfeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-pfeffer/) > [I am always suspicious of the formulation that "politics" has prevented a great idea from being enacted by government. Politics IS government, in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-lemann/i-am-always-suspicious-of-the-formulation-that-politics-has-prevented/) [Nicholas Lemann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-lemann/) > [Politics is Beautiful but ugly for some…but the most beautiful part of politics is its ugly side…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishchal-tyagi/politics-is-beautiful-but-ugly-for-some-but-the-most-beautiful-part/) Nishchal Tyagi > [politics can be an ugly game, and in a national election the stakes get higher while the tactics get lower.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geraldine-ferraro/politics-can-be-an-ugly-game-and-in-a-national-election-the-stakes/) [Geraldine Ferraro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geraldine-ferraro/) > [Politics is an ugly and thankless role.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-trudeau/politics-is-an-ugly-and-thankless-role/) [Margaret Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-trudeau/) > [Politics has always been ugly to me, and yet I accept that as a fact of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-graham/politics-has-always-been-ugly-to-me-and-yet-i-accept-that-as-a-fact/) [Billy Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-graham/) > [Politics is ugly. Never doubt what small men will do for great power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-bacigalupi/politics-is-ugly-never-doubt-what-small-men-will-do-for-great-power/) [Paolo Bacigalupi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paolo-bacigalupi/) > [The funny thing is, this is what everyone assumes, that anybody who talks has an axe to grind. I've been around a long time,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-hersh/the-funny-thing-is-this-is-what-everyone-assumes-that-anybody-who/) [Seymour Hersh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-hersh/) > [True. There is a beautiful Jesus. He is frozen to his bones like a chunk of beef. How desperately he wanted to pull his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-sexton/true-there-is-a-beautiful-jesus-he-is-frozen-to-his-bones-like-a/) [Anne Sexton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-sexton/) > [A book is not an isolated being: it is a relationship, an axis of innumerable relationships](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorge-luis-borges/a-book-is-not-an-isolated-being-it-is-a-relationship-an-axis-of/) [Jorge Luis Borges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorge-luis-borges/) > [The two revolutions, I mean the annual revolutions of the declination and of the centre of the Earth, are not completely equal; that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolaus-copernicus/the-two-revolutions-i-mean-the-annual-revolutions-of-the-declination/) [Nicolaus Copernicus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolaus-copernicus/) > [Outside the ring of dancing warriors with spears and axes stood wolves at a respectful distance, watching and waiting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien-2/outside-the-ring-of-dancing-warriors-with-spears-and-axes-stood/) [J. R. R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien-2/) > [When we are not realized, we are moving on the periphery, like a wheel and we are disturbed. But a realized soul is on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nirmala-srivastava/when-we-are-not-realized-we-are-moving-on-the-periphery-like-a-wheel/) [Nirmala Srivastava](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nirmala-srivastava/) > [It could just be a shift on the axis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-cassidy/it-could-just-be-a-shift-on-the-axis/) [Bill Cassidy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-cassidy/) ## More by Hans F. Sennholz > [Few policies are more calculated to destroy the existing basis of a free society than the debauching of its currency. And few tasks, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-f-sennholz/few-policies-are-more-calculated-to-destroy-the-existing-basis-of-a/) [Hans F. Sennholz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-f-sennholz/) > [Inflationism is a dreadful cancer that is gnawing at the backbone of the civilized order.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-f-sennholz/inflationism-is-a-dreadful-cancer-that-is-gnawing-at-the-backbone-of/) [Hans F. Sennholz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-f-sennholz/) > [When individual enterprise is free and unhampered, profit-and-loss calculations set precise limits to a businessman's temptations to expand his services... a government valuable they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-f-sennholz/when-individual-enterprise-is-free-and-unhampered-profit-and-loss/) [Hans F. Sennholz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-f-sennholz/) > [Political power intoxicates the best hearts. No man is wise enough, nor good enough, to be trusted with much political power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-f-sennholz/political-power-intoxicates-the-best-hearts-no-man-is-wise-enough-nor/) [Hans F. Sennholz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-f-sennholz/) > [In expectation of his demise, a successful businessman may sell out to his competitors to prepare his estate with readily marketable securities, such as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-f-sennholz/in-expectation-of-his-demise-a-successful-businessman-may-sell-out-to/) [Hans F. Sennholz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-f-sennholz/) > [The history of fiat money is little more than a register of monetary follies and inflations. Our present age merely affords another entry in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-f-sennholz/the-history-of-fiat-money-is-little-more-than-a-register-of-monetary/) [Hans F. Sennholz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-f-sennholz/) > [In a world dependent on international trade and commerce, and staggering under a heavy load of international debt, no policy is more destructive than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-f-sennholz/in-a-world-dependent-on-international-trade-and-commerce-and/) [Hans F. Sennholz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-f-sennholz/) > [Sound money and free banking are not impossible; they are merely illegal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-f-sennholz/sound-money-and-free-banking-are-not-impossible-they-are-merely/) [Hans F. Sennholz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-f-sennholz/) > [...there seems to be a correlation between the intensity of the official attacks on gold and the severity of monetary crises.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-f-sennholz/there-seems-to-be-a-correlation-between-the-intensity-of-the-official/) [Hans F. Sennholz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-f-sennholz/) > [The social and racial conflict, which springs from the redistribution ideology, may deepen as economic output is shrinking and transfer 'entitlements cause budget deficits…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-f-sennholz/the-social-and-racial-conflict-which-springs-from-the-redistribution/) [Hans F. Sennholz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-f-sennholz/) > [Centers of unionism are also the centers of unemployment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-f-sennholz/centers-of-unionism-are-also-the-centers-of-unemployment/) [Hans F. Sennholz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-f-sennholz/) > [Wherever politics intrudes upon economic life, political success is readily attained by saying what people like to hear rather than what is demonstrably true.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-f-sennholz/wherever-politics-intrudes-upon-economic-life-political-success-is/) [Hans F. Sennholz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-f-sennholz/) > [A monetary order created and managed by politicians and officials is bound to disappoint.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-f-sennholz/a-monetary-order-created-and-managed-by-politicians-and-officials-is/) [Hans F. Sennholz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-f-sennholz/) > [For more than two thousand years gold's natural qualities made it man's universal medium of exchange. In contrast to political money, gold is honest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-f-sennholz/for-more-than-two-thousand-years-gold-s-natural-qualities-made-it-man/) [Hans F. Sennholz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-f-sennholz/) > [Government welfare programs contribute to the disintegration of poor families. They make women and children dependent on government; dependent for food, for clothing, for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-f-sennholz/government-welfare-programs-contribute-to-the-disintegration-of-poor/) [Hans F. Sennholz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-f-sennholz/) [Explore all 47 Hans F. Sennholz quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-f-sennholz/) ## More Axes quotes > [It could just be a shift on the axis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-cassidy/it-could-just-be-a-shift-on-the-axis/) [Bill Cassidy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-cassidy/) > [When we are not realized, we are moving on the periphery, like a wheel and we are disturbed. But a realized soul is on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nirmala-srivastava/when-we-are-not-realized-we-are-moving-on-the-periphery-like-a-wheel/) [Nirmala Srivastava](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nirmala-srivastava/) > [Outside the ring of dancing warriors with spears and axes stood wolves at a respectful distance, watching and waiting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien-2/outside-the-ring-of-dancing-warriors-with-spears-and-axes-stood/) [J. R. R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien-2/) > [The two revolutions, I mean the annual revolutions of the declination and of the centre of the Earth, are not completely equal; that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolaus-copernicus/the-two-revolutions-i-mean-the-annual-revolutions-of-the-declination/) [Nicolaus Copernicus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolaus-copernicus/) > [A book is not an isolated being: it is a relationship, an axis of innumerable relationships](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorge-luis-borges/a-book-is-not-an-isolated-being-it-is-a-relationship-an-axis-of/) [Jorge Luis Borges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorge-luis-borges/) > [True. There is a beautiful Jesus. He is frozen to his bones like a chunk of beef. How desperately he wanted to pull his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-sexton/true-there-is-a-beautiful-jesus-he-is-frozen-to-his-bones-like-a/) [Anne Sexton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-sexton/) > [By threatening war against Iran, Iraq and North Korea in his now-famous "Axis of Evil" address, the president painted himself into a corner. Either…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-buchanan/by-threatening-war-against-iran-iraq-and-north-korea-in-his-now/) [Pat Buchanan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-buchanan/) > [The world needs people who are more comfortable standing still. We keep the earth on it axis when everybody else is bouncing around.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-konigsberg/the-world-needs-people-who-are-more-comfortable-standing-still-we/) [Bill Konigsberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-konigsberg/) > [You're different. You're more perfect. Time is three things for most people, but for you, for us, just one. A singularity. One moment. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-nolan/you-re-different-you-re-more-perfect-time-is-three-things-for-most/) [Jonathan Nolan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-nolan/) > [Apart altogether from our own vital interests, we cannot and must not desert those other nations who have already gone through so much tragedy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stafford-cripps/apart-altogether-from-our-own-vital-interests-we-cannot-and-must-not/) [Stafford Cripps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stafford-cripps/) > [There is no question in my mind that we live in one of the truly bestial centuries in human history. There are plenty of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erwin-chargaff/there-is-no-question-in-my-mind-that-we-live-in-one-of-the-truly/) [Erwin Chargaff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erwin-chargaff/) > [“I fell in love. It felt exactly like a fall, a head-over-heels tumble into a state of unbearable lightness. The earth tilted on its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-yancey/i-fell-in-love-it-felt-exactly-like-a-fall-a-head-over-heels-tumble/) [Philip Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-yancey/) > [ \[My\] pictures are about memory and forgetfulness. The evidence is dissolving. Bones crumble; human ash returns to soil; teeth, sandals, hair, bullets, axes disperse… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-norfolk/my-pictures-are-about-memory-and-forgetfulness-the-evidence-is/) Simon Norfolk > [ I think it\[3D\] should be used as a new artistic form, not as a gimmick, not to impress you but the existence of an… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ang-lee/i-think-it-3d-should-be-used-as-a-new-artistic-form-not-as-a-gimmick/) [Ang Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ang-lee/) > [Certainly one is brought to the brink of one's sense of who one is, what one has to do, why me, why now, why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-houston/certainly-one-is-brought-to-the-brink-of-one-s-sense-of-who-one-is/) [Jean Houston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-houston/) Browse all 150 Axes quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We are ever aware that politics is an ugly struggle that determines 'who gets what, when, and how.' 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