Country Quote by Thomas Sowell
“What the political left, even in democratic countries, share is the notion that knowledgeable and virtuous people like themselves have both a right and a duty to use the power of government to impose their superior knowledge and virtue on others.”
About This Quote
Source Book: "Basic Economics", 2000
The political left believes knowledgeable elites should use government power to enforce their superior values on others
In simple terms: Elite‑driven governance is seen as a moral duty by some leftists
Key Takeaway
Question the legitimacy of imposing values through policy
Themes
politics
ethics
governance
Mood
critical
analytical
Type
political
philosophical
When to use this quote
- policy debates
- government reform
- ideological conflict
Key Concepts
elitism
moral authority
public policy
Questions to Reflect On
- Who defines virtue and knowledge?
- What safeguards prevent abuse of power?
A Different Perspective
Assumes a universal standard of “knowledgeable and virtuous”
![“The [political] left are people with an imagination and the right are those without an imagination.” quote by Amos Oz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/b30/amos-oz-1478_imagination_the-political-left-are-people-with-an-im_358631.jpg)
![“That country [Carthage] was rapidly sinking into the state of barbarism from whence it had been raised by the Phoenician colonies and Roman laws; and every step of intestine discord was marked by some deplorable victory of savage man over civilized society.” quote by Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/70c/edward-gibbon-710_barbarism_that-country-carthage-was-rapidly-sinkin_393.jpg)
