--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There's never been an era absent of…" description: "\"There's never been an era absent of demagogues.\" — Steve Schmidt" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed9/steve-schmidt-10760_absent_there-s-never-been-an-era-absent-of-dema_2843288.png" --- # There's never been an era absent of demagogues. ![“There's never been an era absent of demagogues.” quote by Steve Schmidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed9/steve-schmidt-10760_absent_there-s-never-been-an-era-absent-of-dema_2843288.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed9/steve-schmidt-10760_absent_there-s-never-been-an-era-absent-of-dema_2843288.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed9/steve-schmidt-10760_absent_there-s-never-been-an-era-absent-of-dema_2843288.png) > “There's never been an era absent of demagogues.” [Steve Schmidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-schmidt/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Every era has demagogues; they are a constant presence throughout history. **In simple terms:** Demagogues appear in every era. Key Takeaway Stay vigilant against manipulative leaders. Themes politics history leadership manipulation society Mood cautious determined Type political analytical When to use this quote - elections - media analysis - public policy Key Concepts propaganda studies psychology of persuasion historical patterns Questions to Reflect On - What traits identify a demagogue? - How can societies resist them? A Different Perspective Demagogues can adapt to new media, making detection harder. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Absent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/absent/) [Absent Demagogues](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/absent-demagogues-3738864/) [Been](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/been/) [Demagogues](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/demagogues/) [Era](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/era/) [Era Absent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/era-absent-3738865/) [Never](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/never/) ## Related quotes > [If you want to oppose Trump, the first thing you should do is say, 'I'm not going to do one thing that makes it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-schmidt/if-you-want-to-oppose-trump-the-first-thing-you-should-do-is-say-i-m/) [Steve Schmidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-schmidt/) > [Syllogisms а la mode - If you are against labor racketeers, then you are against the working man. If you are against demagogues, then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/syllogisms-la-mode-if-you-are-against-labor-racketeers-then-you-are/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [Down with politics and the art of the possible; up with pronouncements and the allure of the prophetic: It's the way of demagogues everywhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-stephens/down-with-politics-and-the-art-of-the-possible-up-with-pronouncements/) [Bret Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-stephens/) > [It's political Daddyism and it's as old as demagogues and despotism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-goldwater/it-s-political-daddyism-and-it-s-as-old-as-demagogues-and-despotism/) [Barry Goldwater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-goldwater/) > [What faith has not been used by demagogues as a club over somebody's head?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-collins/what-faith-has-not-been-used-by-demagogues-as-a-club-over-somebody-s/) [Francis Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-collins/) > [Demagogues always do well in economic downturns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-avlon/demagogues-always-do-well-in-economic-downturns/) [John Avlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-avlon/) > [We have demagogues on all sides of the political spectrum. It's not helpful. It's destructive. It's harmful. So, I don't like demagoguery whether it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-johnson/we-have-demagogues-on-all-sides-of-the-political-spectrum-it-s-not/) [Ron Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-johnson/) > [“Demagogues thrive in dim light.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/demagogues-thrive-in-dim-light/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [We cannot be wise while in the grip of a deep fear. ... This is why demagogues, when seeking our support, will first cause…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-gulley/we-cannot-be-wise-while-in-the-grip-of-a-deep-fear-this-is-why/) [Philip Gulley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-gulley/) > [Paralysis in decision-making breeds frustration and contempt from the electorate, and provides the perfect seedbed for demagogues who fill the vacuum with populist simplicities,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dominic-grieve/paralysis-in-decision-making-breeds-frustration-and-contempt-from-the/) [Dominic Grieve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dominic-grieve/) > [“Like so many demagogues before him, Trump encouraged a zero-sum view of life where if someone else is gaining, you must be losing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-rodham-clinton/like-so-many-demagogues-before-him-trump-encouraged-a-zero-sum-view/) [Hillary Rodham Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-rodham-clinton/) > [“Demagogues and psychopaths dominated the political scene, and prejudice and intolerance were poisoning everything,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lagercrantz/demagogues-and-psychopaths-dominated-the-political-scene-and/) [David Lagercrantz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lagercrantz/) > [ “You \[demagogues\] are like the fishers for eels; in still waters they catch nothing, but if they thoroughly stir up the slime, their fishing… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristophanes/you-demagogues-are-like-the-fishers-for-eels-in-still-waters-they/) [Aristophanes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristophanes/) > [The idea that democracies could be vulnerable to demagogues is not a new notion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-kristol/the-idea-that-democracies-could-be-vulnerable-to-demagogues-is-not-a/) [Bill Kristol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-kristol/) > [Demagogues are so easy to identify. They gesture a lot and speak with pulpit rhythms, using words that ring of religious fervour and god-fearing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-herbert/demagogues-are-so-easy-to-identify-they-gesture-a-lot-and-speak-with/) [Frank Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-herbert/) ## More by Steve Schmidt > [If you want to oppose Trump, the first thing you should do is say, 'I'm not going to do one thing that makes it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-schmidt/if-you-want-to-oppose-trump-the-first-thing-you-should-do-is-say-i-m/) [Steve Schmidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-schmidt/) > [The government is corrupted. It's corrupted. It is not about regular people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-schmidt/the-government-is-corrupted-it-s-corrupted-it-is-not-about-regular/) [Steve Schmidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-schmidt/) > [Politics always fascinated me. In my 20s, I was involved in politics and, as I look in the mirror, not for the noblest of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-schmidt/politics-always-fascinated-me-in-my-20s-i-was-involved-in-politics/) [Steve Schmidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-schmidt/) > [I don't want to sit here and disparage Paul Ryan the man, because he's a good guy. He's a moral person. He's a decent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-schmidt/i-don-t-want-to-sit-here-and-disparage-paul-ryan-the-man-because-he-s/) [Steve Schmidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-schmidt/) > [I'm personally supportive of marriage equality for gay couples and I believe that it will happen over time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-schmidt/i-m-personally-supportive-of-marriage-equality-for-gay-couples-and-i/) [Steve Schmidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-schmidt/) > [I think there are really serious problems in this country and I think politics in a lot of ways is failing the country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-schmidt/i-think-there-are-really-serious-problems-in-this-country-and-i-think/) [Steve Schmidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-schmidt/) > [But I'm not particularly aligned with the Democratic Party's policy agenda.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-schmidt/but-i-m-not-particularly-aligned-with-the-democratic-party-s-policy/) [Steve Schmidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-schmidt/) > [Trump is what the Russians call a useful idiot, someone in service to the Russian Federation, either unwitting or wittingly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-schmidt/trump-is-what-the-russians-call-a-useful-idiot-someone-in-service-to/) [Steve Schmidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-schmidt/) > [As a conservative myself that, you know, generally I would have a point of view that less regulation is better than more regulation, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-schmidt/as-a-conservative-myself-that-you-know-generally-i-would-have-a-point/) [Steve Schmidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-schmidt/) > [John Kerry's newfound interest in fiscal discipline is a political gimmick that defies his 20-year record in the Senate and stands in stark contrast…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-schmidt/john-kerry-s-newfound-interest-in-fiscal-discipline-is-a-political/) [Steve Schmidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-schmidt/) > [To see the Republican Party break up the way it has to lose its moral compass it is tragic, it's tragic for me personally,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-schmidt/to-see-the-republican-party-break-up-the-way-it-has-to-lose-its-moral/) [Steve Schmidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-schmidt/) > [For there to be new growth of a conservative movement, of a right center party, the one that I joined in 1988, it needs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-schmidt/for-there-to-be-new-growth-of-a-conservative-movement-of-a-right/) [Steve Schmidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-schmidt/) > [For there to be any redemption of a right of center conservative party in the United States of America means the party of Trump…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-schmidt/for-there-to-be-any-redemption-of-a-right-of-center-conservative/) [Steve Schmidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-schmidt/) > [I profoundly believe that the Democratic Party is the only vehicle we have to put a check on Donald Trump.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-schmidt/i-profoundly-believe-that-the-democratic-party-is-the-only-vehicle-we/) [Steve Schmidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-schmidt/) > [In a social media age, it seems that everyone lives in their own reality and that when you give consideration to Newt Gingrich, he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-schmidt/in-a-social-media-age-it-seems-that-everyone-lives-in-their-own/) [Steve Schmidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-schmidt/) [Explore all 63 Steve Schmidt quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-schmidt/) ## More Absent quotes > [Majority decisions tend to be made without engaging the systematic thought and critical thinking skills of the individuals in the group. 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