--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Politics is supposed to be the…" description: "\"Politics is supposed to be the second-oldest profession... and I have come to realize that it bears a very close resemblance to the first.\" — Ronald Re..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ea/ronald-reagan-119_politics_politics-is-supposed-to-be-the-second-ol_1234546.jpg" --- # Politics is supposed to be the second-oldest profession… ![“Politics is supposed to be the second-oldest profession... and I have come to realize that it bears a very close resemblance to the first.” quote by Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ea/ronald-reagan-119_politics_politics-is-supposed-to-be-the-second-ol_1234546.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ea/ronald-reagan-119_politics_politics-is-supposed-to-be-the-second-ol_1234546.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ea/ronald-reagan-119_politics_politics-is-supposed-to-be-the-second-ol_1234546.jpg) > “Politics is supposed to be the second-oldest profession... and I have come to realize that it bears a very close resemblance to the first.” [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Politics mirrors the oldest profession, suggesting similar moral compromises and power dynamics. **In simple terms:** Politics is like the oldest job, with similar issues. Key Takeaway Recognize political ethics. Themes politics ethics power dynamics Mood critical thought‑provoking Type political analytical When to use this quote - government reform - public accountability - ethical training Key Concepts corruption moral compromise institutional similarity Questions to Reflect On - What ethical standards should politicians uphold? - How can we differentiate politics from other professions? A Different Perspective Comparison may oversimplify complex political systems. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Close Resemblance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/close-resemblance-3831944/) [Oldest Profession](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oldest-profession-927896/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Politics Supposed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics-supposed-3289435/) [Resemblance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/resemblance/) [Second Oldest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/second-oldest-927897/) [Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trump/) ## Related quotes > [It has been said that politics is the second oldest profession. I have learned that it bears a striking resemblance to the first.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/it-has-been-said-that-politics-is-the-second-oldest-profession-i-have/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [I just can't tell you what fun I've had being a member of the world's second oldest profession.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-plummer/i-just-can-t-tell-you-what-fun-i-ve-had-being-a-member-of-the-world-s/) [Christopher Plummer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-plummer/) > [Motherhood is the second oldest profession in the world. It never questions age, height, religious preference, health, political affiliation, citizenship, morality, ethnic background, marital…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/motherhood-is-the-second-oldest-profession-in-the-world-it-never/) [Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/) > [“Espionage is the world's second oldest profession.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vejas-gabriel-liulevicius/espionage-is-the-world-s-second-oldest-profession/) [Vejas Gabriel Liulevicius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vejas-gabriel-liulevicius/) > [Storytelling: the world's second oldest profession.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-harris/storytelling-the-world-s-second-oldest-profession/) [Danny Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-harris/) > [Lobbying is the world's second - oldest profession.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-press/lobbying-is-the-world-s-second-oldest-profession/) [Bill Press](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-press/) > [Politics is repetition. It is not change. Change is something beyond what we call politics. Change is the essence politics is supposed to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-millett/politics-is-repetition-it-is-not-change-change-is-something-beyond/) [Kate Millett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-millett/) > [Religion and politics are supposed to be separate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-clift/religion-and-politics-are-supposed-to-be-separate/) [Eleanor Clift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-clift/) > [“Religion is probably, after sex, the second oldest resource which human beings have available to them for blowing their mind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-sontag/religion-is-probably-after-sex-the-second-oldest-resource-which-human/) [Susan Sontag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-sontag/) > [“by 2050, South Korea will have the second-oldest population in the developed world, with nearly seven people over the age of 65 for every working-age adult.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/by-2050-south-korea-will-have-the-second-oldest-population-in-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The process of education in the oldest profession in the world is like any other educational process, in that it requires time andeffort and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-albright/the-process-of-education-in-the-oldest-profession-in-the-world-is/) [Madeleine Albright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-albright/) > [“If prostitution is the oldest profession, then love is the world’s oldest problem, and it’s a dodgy sport.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-parker/if-prostitution-is-the-oldest-profession-then-love-is-the-world-s/) [Scott Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-parker/) > [Teaching is not the oldest profession. But it is certainly among the loneliest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-hargreaves/teaching-is-not-the-oldest-profession-but-it-is-certainly-among-the/) [Andy Hargreaves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-hargreaves/) > [“Politics is the 2'nd oldest Profession. The one you get what we paid for. And the other one WE GET SCREWED!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-rinna/politics-is-the-2-nd-oldest-profession-the-one-you-get-what-we-paid/) [Ron Rinna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-rinna/) > [“Certainly, men have been availing themselves of the services of prostitutes from the moment those early hominids stood upright and certain women could say,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/certainly-men-have-been-availing-themselves-of-the-services-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Ronald Reagan > [Today, the world looks to America for leadership. And America looks to its Corps of Marines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/today-the-world-looks-to-america-for-leadership-and-america-looks-to/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [I've long believed one of the mainsprings of our own liberty has been the widespread ownership of property among our people and the expectation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/i-ve-long-believed-one-of-the-mainsprings-of-our-own-liberty-has-been/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [You know, by the time you reach my age, you've made plenty of mistakes if you've lived your life properly. So you learn. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/you-know-by-the-time-you-reach-my-age-you-ve-made-plenty-of-mistakes/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [Yes, across Europe, this wall will fall. For it cannot withstand faith; it cannot withstand truth. The wall cannot withstand freedom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/yes-across-europe-this-wall-will-fall-for-it-cannot-withstand-faith/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [Simple fairness dictates that government must not raise taxes on families struggling to pay their bills.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/simple-fairness-dictates-that-government-must-not-raise-taxes-on/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [The time has come to turn to God and reassert our trust in Him for the healing of America - our country is in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/the-time-has-come-to-turn-to-god-and-reassert-our-trust-in-him-for/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [Professional politicians like to talk about the value of experience in government. Nuts! The only experience you gain in politics is how to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/professional-politicians-like-to-talk-about-the-value-of-experience/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [The WPA was one of the most productive elements of FDR's alphabet soup of agencies because it put people to work building roads, bridges,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/the-wpa-was-one-of-the-most-productive-elements-of-fdr-s-alphabet/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [Where there's liberty, art succeeds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/where-there-s-liberty-art-succeeds/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [Since I came to the White House, I got two hearing aids, a colon operation, skin cancer, a prostate operation, and I was shot.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/since-i-came-to-the-white-house-i-got-two-hearing-aids-a-colon/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [A moment I've been dreading. George brought his ne're-do-well son around this morning and asked me to find the kid a job. Not the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/a-moment-i-ve-been-dreading-george-brought-his-ne-re-do-well-son/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [On Father's Day, we pay tribute to all in our society who have taken on the responsibilitie s and joys of fatherhood. Whether our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/on-father-s-day-we-pay-tribute-to-all-in-our-society-who-have-taken/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [There is no limit to the amount of good you can do if you don't care who gets the credit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/there-is-no-limit-to-the-amount-of-good-you-can-do-if-you-don-t-care/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [It's not that liberals aren't smart, it's just that so much of what they know isn't so](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/it-s-not-that-liberals-aren-t-smart-it-s-just-that-so-much-of-what/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [Love your country, not for her power or wealth, but for her selflessness and her idealism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/love-your-country-not-for-her-power-or-wealth-but-for-her/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) [Explore all 1,244 Ronald Reagan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) ## More Politics quotes > [Sentiment is the mightiest force in civilization; not sentimentality, but sentiment. Women will bring this into politics. Home, sweet home, is as powerful on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-ellen-foster/sentiment-is-the-mightiest-force-in-civilization-not-sentimentality/) [Judith Ellen Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-ellen-foster/) > [Crony capitalism is essentially a condition in which... public officials are giving favours to people in the private sector in payment of political favours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-greenspan/crony-capitalism-is-essentially-a-condition-in-which-public-officials/) [Alan Greenspan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-greenspan/) > [“Only careful political manoeuvring will be able to manage the situation.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/davan-yahya-khalil/only-careful-political-manoeuvring-will-be-able-to-manage-the/) [Davan Yahya Khalil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/davan-yahya-khalil/) > [We could form a government of national unity fighting corruption. The ordinary Afghan is sick and tired of it, because it's she or he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashraf-ghani/we-could-form-a-government-of-national-unity-fighting-corruption-the/) [Ashraf Ghani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashraf-ghani/) > [Politics is not an issue whether you like or dislike , but every citizen must involve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khem-veasna/politics-is-not-an-issue-whether-you-like-or-dislike-but-every/) [Khem Veasna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khem-veasna/) > [For the Scottish government, the practice of having meetings in different parts of the country is well established, but for the U.K. government, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-sturgeon/for-the-scottish-government-the-practice-of-having-meetings-in/) [Nicola Sturgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-sturgeon/) > [“The global population of Earth are involved in the following corporate government experiments: The long term effects of - 1. Nuclear bomb fallout radiation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/the-global-population-of-earth-are-involved-in-the-following/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [Scepticism and cynicism about politics is so great that one of the best counters to it is what you can do at a local…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-miliband/scepticism-and-cynicism-about-politics-is-so-great-that-one-of-the/) [Ed Miliband](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-miliband/) > [Right now we're concerned about budget. Right now we're concerned about the prospect of interest rate rise. We're concerned about government corruption, government handing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amity-shlaes/right-now-we-re-concerned-about-budget-right-now-we-re-concerned/) [Amity Shlaes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amity-shlaes/) > [One of the worst things to come out of the Consumer Protection Board's misleading claims is the impression that government resources are to hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-lesko/one-of-the-worst-things-to-come-out-of-the-consumer-protection-board/) [Matthew Lesko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-lesko/) > [“Jim Reston: Walking through the crowds of air-kissing politicians, actors and high fliers, it was tough to tell where the politics stopped and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-morgan/jim-reston-walking-through-the-crowds-of-air-kissing-politicians/) [Peter Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-morgan/) > [We have to build our own power. We have to win every single political office we can, where we have a majority of black…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fannie-lou-hamer/we-have-to-build-our-own-power-we-have-to-win-every-single-political/) [Fannie Lou Hamer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fannie-lou-hamer/) > [The notion of a non-religious Christmas is ridiculous. But so is the insistence on the part of Christians that politicians and retailers carry out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-campos-duffy/the-notion-of-a-non-religious-christmas-is-ridiculous-but-so-is-the/) [Rachel Campos-Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-campos-duffy/) > [A man who kills on his own is a murderer. A man who kills at his government's request is a national hero.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramman-kenoun/a-man-who-kills-on-his-own-is-a-murderer-a-man-who-kills-at-his/) [Ramman Kenoun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramman-kenoun/) > [Politics in Philadelphia is a contact sport.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-nutter/politics-in-philadelphia-is-a-contact-sport/) [Michael Nutter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-nutter/) [Browse all 44,914 Politics quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Politics is supposed to be the second-oldest profession... and I have come to realize that it bears a very close resemblance to the first.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ronald Reagan" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/politics-is-supposed-to-be-the-second-oldest-profession-and-i-have/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Politics" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/politics-is-supposed-to-be-the-second-oldest-profession-and-i-have/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ea/ronald-reagan-119_politics_politics-is-supposed-to-be-the-second-ol_1234546.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ea/ronald-reagan-119_politics_politics-is-supposed-to-be-the-second-ol_1234546.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ea/ronald-reagan-119_politics_politics-is-supposed-to-be-the-second-ol_1234546.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Politics is supposed to be the second-oldest profession... and I have come to realize that it bears a very…” — Ronald Reagan", "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": "Ronald Reagan", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Politics is supposed to be the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/politics-is-supposed-to-be-the-second-oldest-profession-and-i-have/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/politics-is-supposed-to-be-the-second-oldest-profession-and-i-have/#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 } } ] } ```