--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The fundamental question of politics has…" description: "\"The fundamental question of politics has always been whether there should be politics.\" — Karl Hess" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc3/karl-hess-21090_fundamental_the-fundamental-question-of-politics-has_330182.jpg" --- # The fundamental question of politics has always been… ![“The fundamental question of politics has always been whether there should be politics.” quote by Karl Hess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc3/karl-hess-21090_fundamental_the-fundamental-question-of-politics-has_330182.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc3/karl-hess-21090_fundamental_the-fundamental-question-of-politics-has_330182.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc3/karl-hess-21090_fundamental_the-fundamental-question-of-politics-has_330182.jpg) > “The fundamental question of politics has always been whether there should be politics.” [Karl Hess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-hess/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Politics exists only if people choose to engage in it. **In simple terms:** Politics is optional. Key Takeaway Decide whether to participate in political life. Themes politics choice engagement Mood reflective neutral Type civic philosophical When to use this quote - voting - community organizing - public debate Key Concepts civic theory philosophy activism Questions to Reflect On - Why might someone avoid politics? - What are the costs of disengagement? A Different Perspective Non‑participation can still affect outcomes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fundamental](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fundamental/) [Fundamental Question](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fundamental-question-264758/) [Fundamentals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fundamentals/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Politics Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics-politics-676231/) [Question Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/question-politics-1507495/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) [Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trump/) ## Related quotes > [The race question is subsidiary to the class question in politics, and to think of imperialism in terms of race is disastrous. But to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-l-r-james/the-race-question-is-subsidiary-to-the-class-question-in-politics-and/) [C. L. R. 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I don't think it matters to the fundamental question here because at bottom, this president believes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-mehlman/i-don-t-know-the-answer-to-that-question-i-don-t-think-it-matters-to/) [Ken Mehlman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-mehlman/) > [It is equally clear that a government must govern, must prescribe and enforce laws within its sphere or cease to be a government. Moreover,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-coolidge/it-is-equally-clear-that-a-government-must-govern-must-prescribe-and/) [Calvin Coolidge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-coolidge/) ## More by Karl Hess > [I am in total opposition to any institutional power. I favor a world of neighborhoods in which all social organization is voluntary and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-hess/i-am-in-total-opposition-to-any-institutional-power-i-favor-a-world/) [Karl Hess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-hess/) > [It is curious to note that when for reasons of conscience, people refuse to kill, they are often exempted from active military duty. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-hess/it-is-curious-to-note-that-when-for-reasons-of-conscience-people/) [Karl Hess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-hess/) > [Vietnam should remind conservatives that whenever you put your faith in big government for any reason, sooner or later you wind up an apologist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-hess/vietnam-should-remind-conservatives-that-whenever-you-put-your-faith/) [Karl Hess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-hess/) > [Government programs aim at getting money for poor people. Our hope was that knowledge would in the long run be more useful, provide more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-hess/government-programs-aim-at-getting-money-for-poor-people-our-hope-was/) [Karl Hess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-hess/) > [The most revolutionary thing you can do is get to know your neighbors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-hess/the-most-revolutionary-thing-you-can-do-is-get-to-know-your-neighbors/) [Karl Hess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-hess/) > [Liberty, finally, is not a box into which people are to be forced. Liberty is a space in which people may live. It does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-hess/liberty-finally-is-not-a-box-into-which-people-are-to-be-forced/) [Karl Hess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-hess/) > [A Call for Revolution, 1993 Libertarianism is rejected by the modern left - which preaches individualism but practices collectivism. Capitalism is rejected by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-hess/a-call-for-revolution-1993-libertarianism-is-rejected-by-the-modern/) [Karl Hess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-hess/) > [There is no better way to return the matter of taxation to full public discusssion than to repeal the withholding taxes on wages and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-hess/there-is-no-better-way-to-return-the-matter-of-taxation-to-full/) [Karl Hess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-hess/) > [“It is flawed by one thing: the abstraction of patriotism. People who will damn the government from morning till night, and oppose the State…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-hess/it-is-flawed-by-one-thing-the-abstraction-of-patriotism-people-who/) [Karl Hess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-hess/) > [The dinosaurs invented Jesus to test our confidence in science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-hess/the-dinosaurs-invented-jesus-to-test-our-confidence-in-science/) [Karl Hess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-hess/) > [The Declaration of Independence is so lucid were afraid of it today. It scares the hell out of every modern bureaucrat, because it tells…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-hess/the-declaration-of-independence-is-so-lucid-were-afraid-of-it-today/) [Karl Hess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-hess/) > [Everybody knows that the federal government promises a lot and delivers damn little, and pays for most of what it does deliver out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-hess/everybody-knows-that-the-federal-government-promises-a-lot-and/) [Karl Hess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-hess/) > [In a laissez-faire society, there could exist no public institution with the power to forcefully protect people from themselves. From other people (criminals), yes.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-hess/in-a-laissez-faire-society-there-could-exist-no-public-institution/) [Karl Hess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-hess/) > [We have the illusion of freedom only because so few ever try to exercise it. Try it sometime. Try to save your home from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-hess/we-have-the-illusion-of-freedom-only-because-so-few-ever-try-to/) [Karl Hess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-hess/) > [Libertarianism is rejected by the modern left - which preaches individualism but practices collectivism. Capitalism is rejected by the modern right-which preaches enterprise but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-hess/libertarianism-is-rejected-by-the-modern-left-which-preaches/) [Karl Hess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-hess/) [Explore all 29 Karl Hess quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-hess/) ## More Fundamental quotes > [It's important for American soldiers to be culturally sensitive when deployed in foreign countries. But it's just as important for the U.S. never to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-bauer/it-s-important-for-american-soldiers-to-be-culturally-sensitive-when/) [Gary Bauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-bauer/) > [This idea that once you get into politics... you are now signed up for lifelong duty being in elective office, makes a fundamental error…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-gonzalez/this-idea-that-once-you-get-into-politics-you-are-now-signed-up-for/) [Matt Gonzalez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-gonzalez/) > [“As muito feias que me perdoem Mas beleza é fundamental.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vin-cius-de-moraes/as-muito-feias-que-me-perdoem-mas-beleza-fundamental/) [Vinícius de Moraes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vin-cius-de-moraes/) > [“Principles are guidelines for human conduct that are proven to have enduring, permanent value. They’re fundamental.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/principles-are-guidelines-for-human-conduct-that-are-proven-to-have/) [Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) > [In some way, my fundamental feeling about music is that it's impossible to put a price tag on it. Human beings made music before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-palmer/in-some-way-my-fundamental-feeling-about-music-is-that-it-s/) [Amanda Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-palmer/) > [The fact that it wasn't tells me that we've got a much more fundamental problem of understanding what went wrong, and we've got to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-kay/the-fact-that-it-wasn-t-tells-me-that-we-ve-got-a-much-more/) [David Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-kay/) > [The war being fought in Afghanistan and Iraq is bringing about a fundamental change to the environment that has given rise and power to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-l-thomas/the-war-being-fought-in-afghanistan-and-iraq-is-bringing-about-a/) [Craig L. Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-l-thomas/) > [I keep on saying, being moderate is fundamental to Islam.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/najib-razak/i-keep-on-saying-being-moderate-is-fundamental-to-islam/) [Najib Razak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/najib-razak/) > [The reason that war is such a fascinating subject for writers is because it's a revealer. Put a bunch of people in an adrenaline-fuelled,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sloane-crosley/the-reason-that-war-is-such-a-fascinating-subject-for-writers-is/) [Sloane Crosley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sloane-crosley/) > [Attention is the fundamental instrument we use for learning, thinking, communicating, deciding, yet neither parents nor schools spend any time helping young people learn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-rheingold/attention-is-the-fundamental-instrument-we-use-for-learning-thinking/) [Howard Rheingold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-rheingold/) > [Charity must become a fundamental state of mind and heart that guides us in all we do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-b-wirthlin/charity-must-become-a-fundamental-state-of-mind-and-heart-that-guides/) [Joseph B. Wirthlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-b-wirthlin/) > [Memory is the primary and fundamental power, without which there could be no other intellectual operation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/memory-is-the-primary-and-fundamental-power-without-which-there-could/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [People who want to express themselves need to be given an opportunity. For me, it's a very fundamental premise: you break the law, you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-buckhorn/people-who-want-to-express-themselves-need-to-be-given-an-opportunity/) [Bob Buckhorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-buckhorn/) > [Courage is the most fundamental of all virtues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-anders/courage-is-the-most-fundamental-of-all-virtues/) [Max Anders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-anders/) > [ \[Quantity is the fundamental feature of things,\] the 'primarium accidens substantiae,' ...prior to the other categories. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johannes-kepler/quantity-is-the-fundamental-feature-of-things-the-primarium-accidens/) [Johannes Kepler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johannes-kepler/) [Browse all 392 Fundamental quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fundamental/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The fundamental question of politics has always been whether there should be politics.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Karl Hess" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-hess/the-fundamental-question-of-politics-has-always-been-whether-there/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Fundamental" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-hess/the-fundamental-question-of-politics-has-always-been-whether-there/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc3/karl-hess-21090_fundamental_the-fundamental-question-of-politics-has_330182.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc3/karl-hess-21090_fundamental_the-fundamental-question-of-politics-has_330182.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc3/karl-hess-21090_fundamental_the-fundamental-question-of-politics-has_330182.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The fundamental question of politics has always been whether there should be politics.” — Karl Hess", "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": "Karl Hess", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-hess/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The fundamental question of politics has...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-hess/the-fundamental-question-of-politics-has-always-been-whether-there/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-hess/the-fundamental-question-of-politics-has-always-been-whether-there/#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 } } ] } ```