--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The arrogance of liberal progressives is…" description: "\"The arrogance of liberal progressives is that they're just a lot smarter and better angels than the Stalins and the Chavezes and the Castros of the wor..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c5/ron-johnson-4283_arrogance_the-arrogance-of-liberal-progressives-is_1652447.jpg" --- # The arrogance of liberal progressives is that they're just… ![“The arrogance of liberal progressives is that they're just a lot smarter and better angels than the Stalins and the Chavezes and the Castros of the world, and if we give them all the control, and they control your life, they're going to do a great job of it. Well, it just isn't true.” quote by Ron Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c5/ron-johnson-4283_arrogance_the-arrogance-of-liberal-progressives-is_1652447.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c5/ron-johnson-4283_arrogance_the-arrogance-of-liberal-progressives-is_1652447.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c5/ron-johnson-4283_arrogance_the-arrogance-of-liberal-progressives-is_1652447.jpg) > “The arrogance of liberal progressives is that they're just a lot smarter and better angels than the Stalins and the Chavezes and the Castros of the world, and if we give them all the control, and they control your life, they're going to do a great job of it. Well, it just isn't true.” [Ron Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-johnson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He argues that liberal progressives, despite being intelligent, are not inherently better rulers and can fail when given total control. **In simple terms:** Smart people aren't automatically good leaders. Key Takeaway Question power, not just intellect. Themes politics leadership ideology Mood skeptical critical Type political analytical When to use this quote - government policy - corporate regulation - public health decisions - education reform Key Concepts authoritarianism trust elite bias Questions to Reflect On - What checks prevent any group from abusing power? - How does intelligence relate to moral governance? A Different Perspective Assumes all liberals act uniformly, ignoring diversity of thought. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Arrogance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arrogance/) [Better Angels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/better-angels/) [Control](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/control/) [Control your life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/control-your-life/) [Europe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/europe/) [Liberal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liberal/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Progressives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/progressives/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [That old Bobby Kennedy 1968 form of liberalism where you could be holding hands with the Appalachian family on one day and then be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/that-old-bobby-kennedy-1968-form-of-liberalism-where-you-could-be/) [Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) > [Lincoln's appeal to 'the better angels of our nature' failed to avert a fratricidal war. But the compassionate wisdom of Lincoln's first and second…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felix-frankfurter/lincoln-s-appeal-to-the-better-angels-of-our-nature-failed-to-avert-a/) [Felix Frankfurter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felix-frankfurter/) > [Though involvement in music and the arts can't cure all the ills of society, I do believe that the inspiration they provide has the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andris-nelsons/though-involvement-in-music-and-the-arts-can-t-cure-all-the-ills-of/) [Andris Nelsons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andris-nelsons/) > [“Only a visionary leadership that can motivate "the better angels of our nature," as Lincoln said, and activate possibilities for a freer, more efficient,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornel-west/only-a-visionary-leadership-that-can-motivate-the-better-angels-of/) [Cornel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornel-west/) > [“We are not enemies, but friends. We must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained it must not break our bonds of affections.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-mansfield/we-are-not-enemies-but-friends-we-must-not-be-enemies-though-passion-2/) [Stephen Mansfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-mansfield/) > [Leaders are for calling people to their better angels, for helping guide them to a kind of sterner, more mature sense of what we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-perlstein/leaders-are-for-calling-people-to-their-better-angels-for-helping/) [Rick Perlstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-perlstein/) > [He was the keynote speaker for our better angels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-cuomo/he-was-the-keynote-speaker-for-our-better-angels/) [Andrew Cuomo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-cuomo/) > [If we listen to the better angels of our nature, there are creative and good solutions to serious problems.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-damon/if-we-listen-to-the-better-angels-of-our-nature-there-are-creative/) [Matt Damon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-damon/) > [Anyone else reading The Better Angels of Our Nature? Butter, this book.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cho/anyone-else-reading-the-better-angels-of-our-nature-butter-this-book/) [John Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cho/) > [We are not enemies, but friends. We must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/we-are-not-enemies-but-friends-we-must-not-be-enemies-though-passion/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [In our resolve to build a better world... we seek to summon what Abraham Lincoln called the better angels of our nature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-earl-jones/in-our-resolve-to-build-a-better-world-we-seek-to-summon-what-abraham/) [James Earl Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-earl-jones/) > [I think it's likely that the civilizing effect of literature has done most of the work, and still continues to do. Look at Steven…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-amis/i-think-it-s-likely-that-the-civilizing-effect-of-literature-has-done/) [Martin Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-amis/) > [People are complicated creatures. On the one hand, capable of great acts of charity, and on the other, capable of the most underhanded forms…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-alice/people-are-complicated-creatures-on-the-one-hand-capable-of-great/) [Mary Alice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-alice/) > [We need bold leadership to bring America back to its first principles of diversity inclusion and opportunity for everyone in every ZIP Code, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-perez/we-need-bold-leadership-to-bring-america-back-to-its-first-principles/) [Tom Perez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-perez/) > [I believe it's true that there's good and evil in everyone and it's a constant struggle to have your better angels prevail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-friedkin/i-believe-it-s-true-that-there-s-good-and-evil-in-everyone-and-it-s-a/) [William Friedkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-friedkin/) ## More by Ron Johnson > [In an era of unprecedented medical innovation, we have to do more to ensure that patients facing terminal illnesses have access to potentially life-saving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-johnson/in-an-era-of-unprecedented-medical-innovation-we-have-to-do-more-to/) [Ron Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-johnson/) > [Career politicians manufacture hogwash.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-johnson/career-politicians-manufacture-hogwash/) [Ron Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-johnson/) > [I want to err on the side of constitutional liberty and freedom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-johnson/i-want-to-err-on-the-side-of-constitutional-liberty-and-freedom/) [Ron Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-johnson/) > [I don't like outside group ads. I don't like attack ads. I particularly don't like them now that I'm in the process and they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-johnson/i-don-t-like-outside-group-ads-i-don-t-like-attack-ads-i-particularly/) [Ron Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-johnson/) > [The federal government is way larger than it should be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-johnson/the-federal-government-is-way-larger-than-it-should-be/) [Ron Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-johnson/) > [I have a great deal of respect for Wisconsin workers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-johnson/i-have-a-great-deal-of-respect-for-wisconsin-workers/) [Ron Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-johnson/) > [There is a real problem in terms of the refugee flow, the ability of ISIS to infiltrate those refugee flows, our inability to track…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-johnson/there-is-a-real-problem-in-terms-of-the-refugee-flow-the-ability-of/) [Ron Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-johnson/) > [I think it's extremely important that the citizens of Wisconsin know the positions I'm taking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-johnson/i-think-it-s-extremely-important-that-the-citizens-of-wisconsin-know/) [Ron Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-johnson/) > [The people that are proposing banning assault weapons, well, first of all they're already banned. Assault weapon is a fully automatic, those are already…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-johnson/the-people-that-are-proposing-banning-assault-weapons-well-first-of/) [Ron Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-johnson/) > [The Obama administration's hostility to school choice programs is well known.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-johnson/the-obama-administration-s-hostility-to-school-choice-programs-is/) [Ron Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-johnson/) > [What we should be doing is responsibly addressing the primary drivers of our debt and deficit issues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-johnson/what-we-should-be-doing-is-responsibly-addressing-the-primary-drivers/) [Ron Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-johnson/) > [There are a lot of young kids serving in Washington, D.C.: kids that are smart, hard-working, but they've never farmed. They've never run a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-johnson/there-are-a-lot-of-young-kids-serving-in-washington-d-c-kids-that-are/) [Ron Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-johnson/) > [Russ Feingold is a career politician. He's addicted to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-johnson/russ-feingold-is-a-career-politician-he-s-addicted-to-it/) [Ron Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-johnson/) > [The only area that I would agree with minimum wage is in immigration reform, the guest worker program.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-johnson/the-only-area-that-i-would-agree-with-minimum-wage-is-in-immigration/) [Ron Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-johnson/) > [To me, support versus endorse are two totally different things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-johnson/to-me-support-versus-endorse-are-two-totally-different-things/) [Ron Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-johnson/) [Explore all 113 Ron Johnson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-johnson/) ## More Arrogance quotes > [Perhaps no order of mammals presents us with so extraordinary a series of gradations as this \[step by step, from humans to apes to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-huxley/perhaps-no-order-of-mammals-presents-us-with-so-extraordinary-a/) [Thomas Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-huxley/) > [wishes for sons by Lucille Clifton i wish them cramps. i wish them a strange town and the last tampon. I wish them no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucille-clifton/wishes-for-sons-by-lucille-clifton-i-wish-them-cramps-i-wish-them-a/) [Lucille Clifton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucille-clifton/) > [The structure of the Swiss ruling class is rock-hard, and unchanged since the time of Napoleon. They sit on their mountains and lecture the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-ziegler/the-structure-of-the-swiss-ruling-class-is-rock-hard-and-unchanged/) [Jean Ziegler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-ziegler/) > [What you see of me on TV and all of that, that is me - that's truly how I feel. I'm just multiplying it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baron-corbin/what-you-see-of-me-on-tv-and-all-of-that-that-is-me-that-s-truly-how/) [Baron Corbin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baron-corbin/) > [I don't join the New Atheists. So, for example, I wouldn't have the arrogance to lecture some mother who hopes to see her dying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/i-don-t-join-the-new-atheists-so-for-example-i-wouldn-t-have-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Never mistake someones quietness for their arrogance as you can surely miss out on an awsome personality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/never-mistake-someones-quietness-for-their-arrogance-as-you-can/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Most of us think of pride as self-centeredness, conceit, boastfulness, arrogance, or haughtiness. All of these are elements of the sin, but the heart,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-taft-benson/most-of-us-think-of-pride-as-self-centeredness-conceit-boastfulness/) [Ezra Taft Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-taft-benson/) > [“I was consumed by a selfishness and arrogance that I didn't dare let go of until I found a new persona to hide behind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-koomson/i-was-consumed-by-a-selfishness-and-arrogance-that-i-didn-t-dare-let/) [Dorothy Koomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-koomson/) > [Arrogance is the outgrowth of prosperity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plautus/arrogance-is-the-outgrowth-of-prosperity/) [Plautus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plautus/) > [Timing and arrogance are decisive factors in the successful use of talent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marya-mannes/timing-and-arrogance-are-decisive-factors-in-the-successful-use-of/) [Marya Mannes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marya-mannes/) > [Some say work smarter, not harder, but the wisest are both. Whether you're more of a hard worker or a smart worker, if you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colby-tatem/some-say-work-smarter-not-harder-but-the-wisest-are-both-whether-you/) [Colby Tatem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colby-tatem/) > [Closed some doors, not because of pride, incapacity or arrogance, but simply because they no longer lead somewhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frenz-jeffrey/closed-some-doors-not-because-of-pride-incapacity-or-arrogance-but/) [Frenz Jeffrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frenz-jeffrey/) > [My success isn't a result of arrogance - it's a result of belief.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-mcgregor/my-success-isn-t-a-result-of-arrogance-it-s-a-result-of-belief/) [Conor McGregor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-mcgregor/) > [“...a great man who is vicious will only be a great doer of evil, and a rich man who is not liberal will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-cervantes/a-great-man-who-is-vicious-will-only-be-a-great-doer-of-evil-and-a/) Miguel Cervantes > [An increasing number of people are growing uncomfortable with the gulf between the world's rich and the poor. Ostentatiously splashing your money around simply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kalle-lasn/an-increasing-number-of-people-are-growing-uncomfortable-with-the/) [Kalle Lasn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kalle-lasn/) [Browse all 1,418 Arrogance quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arrogance/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The arrogance of liberal progressives is that they're just a lot smarter and better angels than the Stalins and the Chavezes and the Castros of the world, and if we give them all the control, and they control your life, they're going to do a great job of it. 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