--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Politics and self-interest have been so…" description: "\"Politics and self-interest have been so uniformly connected, that the world, from being so often deceived, has a right to be suspicious of public chara..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/27f/thomas-paine-267_character_politics-and-self-interest-have-been-so_332729.png" --- # Politics and self-interest have been so uniformly… ![“Politics and self-interest have been so uniformly connected, that the world, from being so often deceived, has a right to be suspicious of public characters.” quote by Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/27f/thomas-paine-267_character_politics-and-self-interest-have-been-so_332729.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/27f/thomas-paine-267_character_politics-and-self-interest-have-been-so_332729.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/27f/thomas-paine-267_character_politics-and-self-interest-have-been-so_332729.png) > “Politics and self-interest have been so uniformly connected, that the world, from being so often deceived, has a right to be suspicious of public characters.” [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Political self‑interest intertwines with public life, leading to justified suspicion of leaders who may exploit that connection. **In simple terms:** Self‑interest makes politics untrustworthy. Key Takeaway Question motives of public figures. Themes politics trust ethics power self‑interest Mood cautious critical Type political philosophical When to use this quote - elections - policy debates - media analysis - activism Key Concepts political theory moral philosophy Questions to Reflect On - What evidence justifies suspicion? - How can transparency rebuild trust? A Different Perspective Skepticism can erode civic engagement. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Connected](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/connected/) [Deceived](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deceived/) [Has beens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/has-beens/) [Interest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interest/) [Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Politics Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics-self-1488884/) [Right Suspicious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-suspicious-3110389/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Self interest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-interest/) [Suspicious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suspicious/) [Suspicious Public](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suspicious-public-3110390/) [Term](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/term/) [Term limits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/term-limits/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [World Deceived](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-deceived-384846/) ## Related quotes > [So may the outward shows be least themselves; The world is still deceived with ornament.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/so-may-the-outward-shows-be-least-themselves-the-world-is-still/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I guess my point in general is that, if you look closely, who is in politics to self-identify - these are the people who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karan-mahajan/i-guess-my-point-in-general-is-that-if-you-look-closely-who-is-in/) [Karan Mahajan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karan-mahajan/) > [Gnostic politics is self-defeating in so far as its disregard for the structure of reality leads to continuous warfare.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-voegelin/gnostic-politics-is-self-defeating-in-so-far-as-its-disregard-for-the/) [Eric Voegelin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-voegelin/) > [“Politicians don't have race, politicians don't have religion, politicians don't have nationality. 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