Lyndon johnson Quote by Robert A. Caro
““IS WHERE POWER GOES”: the most significant factor in any equation that adds up to political power, Lyndon Johnson had assured his allies, is the individual, not the office; for a man with a gift for acquiring power, whatever office he held would become powerful—because of what he would make out of it. Johnson””
About This Quote
Source Book: “The Years of Lyndon Johnson” by Robert A. Caro, 1990
Power stems from the individual’s abilities, not the position they hold.
In simple terms: Power is about the person, not the office.
Key Takeaway
Develop personal influence.
Themes
leadership
power
politics
Mood
analytical
historical
Type
political
educational
When to use this quote
- political campaigns
- organizational leadership
Key Concepts
agency
institutional theory
Questions to Reflect On
- How can individuals overcome institutional limits?
- What personal traits most affect power?
A Different Perspective
It may downplay structural constraints.
![“[Lyndon ] Johnson was responding to a black freedom movement that was tearing the country open and he did what he had to do as a conservative politician.” quote by Bill Ayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/4e4/bill-ayers-1848_black_lyndon-johnson-was-responding-to-a-black_39317.jpg)
![“Years of concentration solely on work and individual success meant that in his retirement [Lyndon Johnson] could find no solace in family, in recreation, in sports or in hobbies. It was almost as if the hole in his heart was so large that even the love of a family, without work, could not fill it.” quote by Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/7cb/doris-kearns-goodwin-1951_concentration_years-of-concentration-solely-on-work-an_220664.jpg)
