--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: History is made up of \"moral\" judgments…" description: "\"“History is made up of \"moral\" judgments based on politics. We condemned Lenin's acceptance of money from the Germans in 1917 but were discreetly silen..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5fa/saul-d-alinsky-37981_history_history-is-made-up-of-moral-judgments-ba_2589476.jpg" --- # History is made up of "moral" judgments based on politics… ![“History is made up of "moral" judgments based on politics. We condemned Lenin's acceptance of money from the Germans in 1917 but were discreetly silent while our Colonel William B. Thompson in the same year contributed a million dollars to the anti-Bolsheviks in Russia. As allies of the Soviets in…” quote by Saul D. Alinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5fa/saul-d-alinsky-37981_history_history-is-made-up-of-moral-judgments-ba_2589476.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5fa/saul-d-alinsky-37981_history_history-is-made-up-of-moral-judgments-ba_2589476.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5fa/saul-d-alinsky-37981_history_history-is-made-up-of-moral-judgments-ba_2589476.jpg) > ““History is made up of "moral" judgments based on politics. We condemned Lenin's acceptance of money from the Germans in 1917 but were discreetly silent while our Colonel William B. Thompson in the same year contributed a million dollars to the anti-Bolsheviks in Russia. As allies of the Soviets in World War II we praised and cheered communist guerrilla tactics when the Russians used them against the Nazis during the Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union; we denounce the same tactics when they are used by communist forces in different parts of the world against us. The opposition's means, used against us, are always immoral and our means are always ethical and rooted in the highest of human values.”” [Saul D. Alinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-d-alinsky/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Moral judgments are often politically biased, praising allies and condemning enemies inconsistently. **In simple terms:** Politics distorts morality. Key Takeaway Recognize bias in moral judgments. Themes politics ethics hypocrisy Mood reflective skeptical Type political philosophical When to use this quote - historical analysis - media criticism - policy debate Key Concepts relativism propaganda Questions to Reflect On - How can we create consistent ethical standards? A Different Perspective Moral absolutes are sometimes necessary for cohesion. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [History Moral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history-moral-1420768/) [Human values](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-values/) [Immoral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/immoral/) [Lenin Acceptance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lenin-acceptance-1848258/) [Political philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political-philosophy/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Soviet union](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soviet-union/) [Used Communist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/used-communist-1848257/) [Used Immoral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/used-immoral-1848259/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) [World war](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-war/) [World war ii](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-war-ii/) ## Related quotes > [America I used to be a communist when I was a kid and I'm not sorry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-ginsberg/america-i-used-to-be-a-communist-when-i-was-a-kid-and-i-m-not-sorry/) [Allen Ginsberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-ginsberg/) > [The so-called civil rights movement as it exists today is used as a Communist program for revolution in America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-taft-benson/the-so-called-civil-rights-movement-as-it-exists-today-is-used-as-a/) [Ezra Taft Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-taft-benson/) > [One of the most destructive anti-concepts in the history of moral philosophy is the term 'duty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/one-of-the-most-destructive-anti-concepts-in-the-history-of-moral/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [History is either a moral argument with lessons for the here-and-now, or it is merely an accumulation of pointless facts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-marr/history-is-either-a-moral-argument-with-lessons-for-the-here-and-now/) [Andrew Marr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-marr/) > [The law is the witness and external deposit of our moral life. 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I work because I enjoy what I'm doing, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-carson/it-s-silly-to-have-as-one-s-sole-object-in-life-just-making-money/) [Johnny Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-carson/) > [“Today, our view of genuine reality is increasingly clouded by professionals whose technical expertise often introduces a superficial and soulless model of the person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-kleinman/today-our-view-of-genuine-reality-is-increasingly-clouded-by/) [Arthur Kleinman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-kleinman/) > [The corporate state is an immensely powerful machine, ordered, legalistic, rational, yet utterly out of human control, wholly and perfectly indifferent to any human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-a-reich/the-corporate-state-is-an-immensely-powerful-machine-ordered/) [Charles A. Reich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-a-reich/) ## More by Saul D. Alinsky > [“To face the days ahead we must ask two questions: first, "Where are we?" and second, "Where do we go from here?" We Americans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-d-alinsky/to-face-the-days-ahead-we-must-ask-two-questions-first-where-are-we/) [Saul D. Alinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-d-alinsky/) > [“Some say it’s no coincidence that the question mark is an inverted plow, breaking up the hard soil of old beliefs and preparing for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-d-alinsky/some-say-it-s-no-coincidence-that-the-question-mark-is-an-inverted/) [Saul D. Alinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-d-alinsky/) > [“Today everything is so complex as to be incomprehensible. What sense does it make for men to walk on the moon while other men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-d-alinsky/today-everything-is-so-complex-as-to-be-incomprehensible-what-sense/) [Saul D. 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