Politics Quote by Hilary Mantel
““Wolsey always said that the making of a treaty is the treaty. It doesn't matter what the terms are, just that there are terms. It's the goodwill that matters. When that runs out, the treaty is broken, whatever the terms say. It is the processions that matter, the exchange of gifts, the royal games of bowls, the tilts, jousts and masques; these are not preliminaries to the process, they are the process itself.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: Wolf Hall, 2009
Treaties are valuable for the ritual and goodwill they create, not just their written terms.
In simple terms: The process matters more than the contract.
Key Takeaway
Focus on relationship building.
Themes
politics
diplomacy
ritual
Mood
reflective
thoughtful
Type
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- negotiations
- international relations
- team building
Key Concepts
social capital
symbolic exchange
protocol
Questions to Reflect On
- What rituals sustain trust?
- How can we protect goodwill?
A Different Perspective
Formal agreements can fail if trust erodes.
![“Our agreements on creating the conditions for preparing a peace treaty [with Japan] should be rooted in this trust. This may be achieved, for example, by large-scale economic activities that will also cover the Kuril Islands. It may be achieved by solving purely humanitarian issues, for instance…” quote by Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/73f/vladimir-putin-261_activity_our-agreements-on-creating-the-condition_149257.jpg)
