--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A politician thinks about the next…" description: "\"A politician thinks about the next elections - the statesman thinks about the next generations.\" — James Freeman" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0cb/james-freeman-60272_democracy_a-politician-thinks-about-the-next-elect_2428322.jpg" --- # A politician thinks about the next elections - the… ![“A politician thinks about the next elections - the statesman thinks about the next generations.” quote by James Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0cb/james-freeman-60272_democracy_a-politician-thinks-about-the-next-elect_2428322.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0cb/james-freeman-60272_democracy_a-politician-thinks-about-the-next-elect_2428322.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0cb/james-freeman-60272_democracy_a-politician-thinks-about-the-next-elect_2428322.jpg) > “A politician thinks about the next elections - the statesman thinks about the next generations.” [James Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-freeman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A leader focused on short‑term power differs from a statesman who considers long‑term societal impact. **In simple terms:** Leaders think short; statesmen think long. Key Takeaway Prioritize lasting legacy over immediate gain. Themes leadership legacy politics ethics vision Mood reflective inspirational Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - political campaigning - policy making - community development - education reform - environmental planning Key Concepts long‑term planning public good intergenerational responsibility strategic foresight Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance immediate demands with future consequences? - What actions today shape tomorrow’s society? A Different Perspective Short‑term pressures may override long‑term thinking. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Election](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/election/) [Elections Statesman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elections-statesman-247510/) [Generations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/generations/) [Next](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/next/) [Next generation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/next-generation/) [Politician](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politician/) [Politician Thinks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politician-thinks-247509/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Statesman Thinks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/statesman-thinks-247508/) [Statesmen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/statesmen/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Thinks Elections](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinks-elections-247512/) [Thinks Generations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinks-generations-247511/) [Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trump/) ## Related quotes > [“A politician thinks of the next election; a statesman thinks of the next generation.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-freeman-clarke/a-politician-thinks-of-the-next-election-a-statesman-thinks-of-the/) [James Freeman Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-freeman-clarke/) > [A statesman is he who thinks in the future generations, and a politician is he who thinks in the upcoming elections.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/a-statesman-is-he-who-thinks-in-the-future-generations-and-a/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [The opportunist thinks of me and today. The statesman thinks of us and tomorrow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/the-opportunist-thinks-of-me-and-today-the-statesman-thinks-of-us-and/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [A politician thinks of the next election; a statement of the next generation. A politician looks for the success of his party; a statesman…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-freeman-clarke/a-politician-thinks-of-the-next-election-a-statement-of-the-next/) [James Freeman Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-freeman-clarke/) > [“A great statesman thinks several times, and acts; a young lady acts, and thinks several times.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hardy/a-great-statesman-thinks-several-times-and-acts-a-young-lady-acts-and/) [Thomas Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hardy/) > [A politician thinks of the next election. A statesman, of the next generation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-freeman-clarke/a-politician-thinks-of-the-next-election-a-statesman-of-the-next/) [James Freeman Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-freeman-clarke/) > [What politician ever thinks beyond 4 or 5 years? But such thinking is hopelessly inadequate for the big questions that involve the fabric of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-barnes/what-politician-ever-thinks-beyond-4-or-5-years-but-such-thinking-is/) [Simon Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-barnes/) > [A politician can do what he thinks is right, he just has to be sophisticated in how he goes about it. Those who seek…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-morris/a-politician-can-do-what-he-thinks-is-right-he-just-has-to-be/) [Dick Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-morris/) > [“The only thing more dangerous than a politician who thinks about re-election, is a politician who doesn't think about re-election.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-carville/the-only-thing-more-dangerous-than-a-politician-who-thinks-about-re/) [James Carville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-carville/) > [Leadership is a dynamic tension between where a politician thinks his country must go and where his voters want it to go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-morris/leadership-is-a-dynamic-tension-between-where-a-politician-thinks-his/) [Dick Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-morris/) > [Change from below, the formulation of demands from the populace to end unacceptable injustice, supported by direct action, has played a far larger part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-benn/change-from-below-the-formulation-of-demands-from-the-populace-to-end/) [Tony Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-benn/) > [The mountain of history books under which we all stand leans so heavily in the other direction-so tremblingly respectful of states and statesmen and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/the-mountain-of-history-books-under-which-we-all-stand-leans-so/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [Statesmen are grocers, ambitious clowns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dejan-stojanovic/statesmen-are-grocers-ambitious-clowns/) [Dejan Stojanovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dejan-stojanovic/) > [The statesmen will invent cheap lies, putting the blame upon the nation that is attacked, and every man will be glad of those conscience-soothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/the-statesmen-will-invent-cheap-lies-putting-the-blame-upon-the/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [He is almost a statesman. He lies well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/he-is-almost-a-statesman-he-lies-well/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) ## More by James Freeman > [I have a very personal view of what I want in a café. I don't spend a lot of time thinking about what other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-freeman/i-have-a-very-personal-view-of-what-i-want-in-a-caf-i-don-t-spend-a/) [James Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-freeman/) > [I will only sell coffee less than 48 hours out of the roaster to my customers, so they may enjoy coffee at its peak…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-freeman/i-will-only-sell-coffee-less-than-48-hours-out-of-the-roaster-to-my/) [James Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-freeman/) > [Personality is never enough now a days. Everyone is always looking for Mr.Right](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-freeman/personality-is-never-enough-now-a-days-everyone-is-always-looking-for/) [James Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-freeman/) > [“Making an espresso is a performance that lasts ninety seconds and then you’re done. You go on to the next performance. You may get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-freeman/making-an-espresso-is-a-performance-that-lasts-ninety-seconds-and/) [James Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-freeman/) [Explore all 5 James Freeman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-freeman/) ## More Democracy quotes > [Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/elections-belong-to-the-people-it-s-their-decision-if-they-decide-to/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Philosopher is a dictator who modifies accepted standards with his thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/philosopher-is-a-dictator-who-modifies-accepted-standards-with-his/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [If the members of parliament no longer consider themselves mandatories of the taxpayers but deputies of those receiving salaries, wages, subsidies, doles, and other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/if-the-members-of-parliament-no-longer-consider-themselves/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [For not only every democracy, but certainly every republic, bears within itself the seeds of its own destruction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/for-not-only-every-democracy-but-certainly-every-republic-bears/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [There is plenty of time for Republicans to have a Macaca moment. But right now, as of October 17, 2014, the Republican Senate candidates…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-continetti/there-is-plenty-of-time-for-republicans-to-have-a-macaca-moment-but/) [Matthew Continetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-continetti/) > [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [ Vote for Donald Trump. You're going to see something and you'll be so happy, you'll be so thrilled. This \[presidential\] election is about every… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/vote-for-donald-trump-you-re-going-to-see-something-and-you-ll-be-so/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [The peaceful transition of power is one of the hallmarks of our democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-peaceful-transition-of-power-is-one-of-the-hallmarks-of-our/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The Republicans do not look on the Democrats as the evil empire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-safire/the-republicans-do-not-look-on-the-democrats-as-the-evil-empire/) [William Safire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-safire/) > [If you believe in democracy, why shouldn't you know what the government is doing?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/if-you-believe-in-democracy-why-shouldn-t-you-know-what-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Failure to find a way to incorporate political Islam in democracy, however uncomfortable its ideology is for secular liberals, will mean we have given…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/crispin-blunt/failure-to-find-a-way-to-incorporate-political-islam-in-democracy/) [Crispin Blunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/crispin-blunt/) > [In a democratic nation, power must be linked with responsibility, and obliged to defend and justify itself within the framework of the general good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt/in-a-democratic-nation-power-must-be-linked-with-responsibility-and/) [Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/) > [There are certain things you must not say in spite of the fact that supposedly democracy means free speech. No. You are not allowed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-eubank-sr/there-are-certain-things-you-must-not-say-in-spite-of-the-fact-that/) [Chris Eubank Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-eubank-sr/) > [“All voting is a sort of gaming, like checkers or back gammon, with a slight moral tinge to it, a playing with right and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/all-voting-is-a-sort-of-gaming-like-checkers-or-back-gammon-with-a/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) [Browse all 11,220 Democracy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A politician thinks about the next elections - the statesman thinks about the next generations.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "James Freeman" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-freeman/a-politician-thinks-about-the-next-elections-the-statesman-thinks/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Democracy" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-freeman/a-politician-thinks-about-the-next-elections-the-statesman-thinks/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0cb/james-freeman-60272_democracy_a-politician-thinks-about-the-next-elect_2428322.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0cb/james-freeman-60272_democracy_a-politician-thinks-about-the-next-elect_2428322.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0cb/james-freeman-60272_democracy_a-politician-thinks-about-the-next-elect_2428322.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A politician thinks about the next elections - the statesman thinks about the next generations.” — James Freeman", "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": "James Freeman", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-freeman/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "A politician thinks about the next...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-freeman/a-politician-thinks-about-the-next-elections-the-statesman-thinks/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-freeman/a-politician-thinks-about-the-next-elections-the-statesman-thinks/#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 } } ] } ```