--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Like so many demagogues before him, Trump…" description: "\"“Like so many demagogues before him, Trump encouraged a zero-sum view of life where if someone else is gaining, you must be losing.”\" — Hillary Rodham ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f53/hillary-rodham-clinton-890_demagogues_like-so-many-demagogues-before-him-trump_283876.jpg" --- # Like so many demagogues before him, Trump encouraged a… ![“Like so many demagogues before him, Trump encouraged a zero-sum view of life where if someone else is gaining, you must be losing.” quote by Hillary Rodham Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f53/hillary-rodham-clinton-890_demagogues_like-so-many-demagogues-before-him-trump_283876.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f53/hillary-rodham-clinton-890_demagogues_like-so-many-demagogues-before-him-trump_283876.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f53/hillary-rodham-clinton-890_demagogues_like-so-many-demagogues-before-him-trump_283876.jpg) > ““Like so many demagogues before him, Trump encouraged a zero-sum view of life where if someone else is gaining, you must be losing.”” [Hillary Rodham Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-rodham-clinton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Trump promoted a mindset where another's gain is seen as personal loss. **In simple terms:** Zero‑sum thinking harms society. Key Takeaway Encourage collaborative mindset. Themes politics competition mindset Mood critical political Type analytical inspirational When to use this quote - campaign strategy - team building - public discourse Key Concepts Game theory social psychology Questions to Reflect On - How does zero‑sum thinking affect policy? - What fosters cooperative attitudes? A Different Perspective Collaboration can be challenging. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Demagogues](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/demagogues/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [View of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/view-of-life/) ## Related quotes > [“The point was, there didn’t need to be an answer because he wasn’t going to be president. Trump’s longtime friend Roger Ailes liked to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-wolff/the-point-was-there-didn-t-need-to-be-an-answer-because-he-wasn-t/) [Michael Wolff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-wolff/) > [The idea that democracies could be vulnerable to demagogues is not a new notion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-kristol/the-idea-that-democracies-could-be-vulnerable-to-demagogues-is-not-a/) [Bill Kristol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-kristol/) > [Demagogues are so easy to identify. They gesture a lot and speak with pulpit rhythms, using words that ring of religious fervour and god-fearing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-herbert/demagogues-are-so-easy-to-identify-they-gesture-a-lot-and-speak-with/) [Frank Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-herbert/) > [Syllogisms а la mode - If you are against labor racketeers, then you are against the working man. If you are against demagogues, then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/syllogisms-la-mode-if-you-are-against-labor-racketeers-then-you-are/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [Down with politics and the art of the possible; up with pronouncements and the allure of the prophetic: It's the way of demagogues everywhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-stephens/down-with-politics-and-the-art-of-the-possible-up-with-pronouncements/) [Bret Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-stephens/) > [It's political Daddyism and it's as old as demagogues and despotism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-goldwater/it-s-political-daddyism-and-it-s-as-old-as-demagogues-and-despotism/) [Barry Goldwater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-goldwater/) > [What faith has not been used by demagogues as a club over somebody's head?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-collins/what-faith-has-not-been-used-by-demagogues-as-a-club-over-somebody-s/) [Francis Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-collins/) > [Demagogues always do well in economic downturns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-avlon/demagogues-always-do-well-in-economic-downturns/) [John Avlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-avlon/) > [We have demagogues on all sides of the political spectrum. It's not helpful. It's destructive. It's harmful. So, I don't like demagoguery whether it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-johnson/we-have-demagogues-on-all-sides-of-the-political-spectrum-it-s-not/) [Ron Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-johnson/) > [“Demagogues thrive in dim light.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/demagogues-thrive-in-dim-light/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [We cannot be wise while in the grip of a deep fear. ... This is why demagogues, when seeking our support, will first cause…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-gulley/we-cannot-be-wise-while-in-the-grip-of-a-deep-fear-this-is-why/) [Philip Gulley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-gulley/) > [Paralysis in decision-making breeds frustration and contempt from the electorate, and provides the perfect seedbed for demagogues who fill the vacuum with populist simplicities,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dominic-grieve/paralysis-in-decision-making-breeds-frustration-and-contempt-from-the/) [Dominic Grieve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dominic-grieve/) > [“Demagogues and psychopaths dominated the political scene, and prejudice and intolerance were poisoning everything,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lagercrantz/demagogues-and-psychopaths-dominated-the-political-scene-and/) [David Lagercrantz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lagercrantz/) > [ “You \[demagogues\] are like the fishers for eels; in still waters they catch nothing, but if they thoroughly stir up the slime, their fishing… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristophanes/you-demagogues-are-like-the-fishers-for-eels-in-still-waters-they/) [Aristophanes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristophanes/) > [Demagogues and agitators are very unpleasant, they are incidental to a free and constitutional country, and you must put up with these inconveniences or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-disraeli/demagogues-and-agitators-are-very-unpleasant-they-are-incidental-to-a/) [Benjamin Disraeli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-disraeli/) ## More by Hillary Rodham Clinton > [“Putin has positioned himself as the leader of an authoritarian, xenophobic international movement that wants to expel immigrants, break up the European Union, weaken…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-rodham-clinton/putin-has-positioned-himself-as-the-leader-of-an-authoritarian/) [Hillary Rodham Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-rodham-clinton/) > [“It’s true, though, that we struggled to stay on message. My advisors had to deal with a candidate—me—who often wanted something new to say,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-rodham-clinton/it-s-true-though-that-we-struggled-to-stay-on-message-my-advisors-had/) [Hillary Rodham Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-rodham-clinton/) > [“He reminded me to focus on the “trendlines,” not just the headlines, and to relish the experiences.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-rodham-clinton/he-reminded-me-to-focus-on-the-trendlines-not-just-the-headlines-and/) [Hillary Rodham Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-rodham-clinton/) > [“Democrats should reevaluate a lot of our assumptions about which policies are politically viable. These trends make universal programs even more appealing than we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-rodham-clinton/democrats-should-reevaluate-a-lot-of-our-assumptions-about-which/) [Hillary Rodham Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-rodham-clinton/) > [“You Can't Keep Wild Animal In Your Back Yard And Expect It To Go only After Your Neighbor.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-rodham-clinton/you-can-t-keep-wild-animal-in-your-back-yard-and-expect-it-to-go-only/) [Hillary Rodham Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-rodham-clinton/) > [“In people’s lives and worldviews, concerns about economics, race, gender, class, and culture all blend together.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-rodham-clinton/in-people-s-lives-and-worldviews-concerns-about-economics-race-gender/) [Hillary Rodham Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-rodham-clinton/) > [“if you want to go quickly, go alone. If you want to go far, go together”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-rodham-clinton/if-you-want-to-go-quickly-go-alone-if-you-want-to-go-far-go-together/) [Hillary Rodham Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-rodham-clinton/) > [“On her very first day, when she politely raised questions about Bernie’s health care plan—she has a master’s degree in public health and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-rodham-clinton/on-her-very-first-day-when-she-politely-raised-questions-about-bernie/) [Hillary Rodham Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-rodham-clinton/) > [“Too many saw the world in zero-sum terms, believing that gains made by fellow Americans they viewed as “other”—people of color, immigrants, women, LGBT…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-rodham-clinton/too-many-saw-the-world-in-zero-sum-terms-believing-that-gains-made-by/) [Hillary Rodham Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-rodham-clinton/) > [“Usually when I meet people who are frustrated and angry, my instinctive response is to talk about how we can fix things. That’s why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-rodham-clinton/usually-when-i-meet-people-who-are-frustrated-and-angry-my/) [Hillary Rodham Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-rodham-clinton/) > [“In the words of Secretary Clinton, never doubt that you are valuable and powerful and deserving of every chance in the world to pursue…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-rodham-clinton/in-the-words-of-secretary-clinton-never-doubt-that-you-are-valuable/) [Hillary Rodham Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-rodham-clinton/) > [“To quote Secretary of Labor Frances Perkins, the first woman to serve in the U.S. Cabinet, under FDR, “The accusation that I’m a woman…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-rodham-clinton/to-quote-secretary-of-labor-frances-perkins-the-first-woman-to-serve/) [Hillary Rodham Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-rodham-clinton/) > [“While there are few problems in today’s world that the United States can solve alone, there are even fewer that can be solved without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-rodham-clinton/while-there-are-few-problems-in-today-s-world-that-the-united-states/) [Hillary Rodham Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-rodham-clinton/) > [“if he knows that the Donald J. Trump Foundation is little more than a personal piggy bank, he’ll turn around and accuse, with no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-rodham-clinton/if-he-knows-that-the-donald-j-trump-foundation-is-little-more-than-a/) [Hillary Rodham Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-rodham-clinton/) > [“One of the most important but least recognized facts in American politics is that Republicans tend to win in places where more people are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-rodham-clinton/one-of-the-most-important-but-least-recognized-facts-in-american/) [Hillary Rodham Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-rodham-clinton/) [Explore all 336 Hillary Rodham Clinton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-rodham-clinton/) ## More Demagogues quotes > [The idea that democracies could be vulnerable to demagogues is not a new notion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-kristol/the-idea-that-democracies-could-be-vulnerable-to-demagogues-is-not-a/) [Bill Kristol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-kristol/) > [ “You \[demagogues\] are like the fishers for eels; in still waters they catch nothing, but if they thoroughly stir up the slime, their fishing… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristophanes/you-demagogues-are-like-the-fishers-for-eels-in-still-waters-they/) [Aristophanes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristophanes/) > [“Demagogues and psychopaths dominated the political scene, and prejudice and intolerance were poisoning everything,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lagercrantz/demagogues-and-psychopaths-dominated-the-political-scene-and/) [David Lagercrantz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lagercrantz/) > [Paralysis in decision-making breeds frustration and contempt from the electorate, and provides the perfect seedbed for demagogues who fill the vacuum with populist simplicities,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dominic-grieve/paralysis-in-decision-making-breeds-frustration-and-contempt-from-the/) [Dominic Grieve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dominic-grieve/) > [We cannot be wise while in the grip of a deep fear. ... This is why demagogues, when seeking our support, will first cause…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-gulley/we-cannot-be-wise-while-in-the-grip-of-a-deep-fear-this-is-why/) [Philip Gulley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-gulley/) > [“Demagogues thrive in dim light.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/demagogues-thrive-in-dim-light/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [We have demagogues on all sides of the political spectrum. It's not helpful. It's destructive. It's harmful. So, I don't like demagoguery whether it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-johnson/we-have-demagogues-on-all-sides-of-the-political-spectrum-it-s-not/) [Ron Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-johnson/) > [Demagogues always do well in economic downturns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-avlon/demagogues-always-do-well-in-economic-downturns/) [John Avlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-avlon/) > [What faith has not been used by demagogues as a club over somebody's head?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-collins/what-faith-has-not-been-used-by-demagogues-as-a-club-over-somebody-s/) [Francis Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-collins/) > [It's political Daddyism and it's as old as demagogues and despotism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-goldwater/it-s-political-daddyism-and-it-s-as-old-as-demagogues-and-despotism/) [Barry Goldwater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-goldwater/) > [Down with politics and the art of the possible; up with pronouncements and the allure of the prophetic: It's the way of demagogues everywhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-stephens/down-with-politics-and-the-art-of-the-possible-up-with-pronouncements/) [Bret Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-stephens/) > [Syllogisms а la mode - If you are against labor racketeers, then you are against the working man. If you are against demagogues, then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/syllogisms-la-mode-if-you-are-against-labor-racketeers-then-you-are/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [Demagogues are so easy to identify. They gesture a lot and speak with pulpit rhythms, using words that ring of religious fervour and god-fearing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-herbert/demagogues-are-so-easy-to-identify-they-gesture-a-lot-and-speak-with/) [Frank Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-herbert/) > [Demagogues and agitators are very unpleasant, they are incidental to a free and constitutional country, and you must put up with these inconveniences or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-disraeli/demagogues-and-agitators-are-very-unpleasant-they-are-incidental-to-a/) [Benjamin Disraeli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-disraeli/) > [In every age the vilest specimens of human nature are to be found among demagogues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-b-macaulay/in-every-age-the-vilest-specimens-of-human-nature-are-to-be-found/) [Thomas B. Macaulay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-b-macaulay/) [Browse all 30 Demagogues quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/demagogues/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Like so many demagogues before him, Trump encouraged a zero-sum view of life where if someone else is gaining, you must be losing.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Hillary Rodham Clinton" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-rodham-clinton/like-so-many-demagogues-before-him-trump-encouraged-a-zero-sum-view/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Demagogues" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-rodham-clinton/like-so-many-demagogues-before-him-trump-encouraged-a-zero-sum-view/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f53/hillary-rodham-clinton-890_demagogues_like-so-many-demagogues-before-him-trump_283876.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f53/hillary-rodham-clinton-890_demagogues_like-so-many-demagogues-before-him-trump_283876.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f53/hillary-rodham-clinton-890_demagogues_like-so-many-demagogues-before-him-trump_283876.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Like so many demagogues before him, Trump encouraged a zero-sum view of life where if someone else is…” — Hillary Rodham Clinton", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Hillary Rodham Clinton", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-rodham-clinton/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Like so many demagogues before him,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-rodham-clinton/like-so-many-demagogues-before-him-trump-encouraged-a-zero-sum-view/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-rodham-clinton/like-so-many-demagogues-before-him-trump-encouraged-a-zero-sum-view/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```