--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Principles aren't something you hear much…" description: "\"Principles aren't something you hear much from politicians these days. Have you noticed? Right across the board, leaders, whatever the political colori..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/829/vanessa-redgrave-12176_change_principles-aren-t-something-you-hear-muc_431736.jpg" --- # Principles aren't something you hear much from politicians… ![“Principles aren't something you hear much from politicians these days. Have you noticed? Right across the board, leaders, whatever the political coloring, avoid talking about laws; they avoid talking about principles. They talk about 'our values.' But values can change, and all our packets of…” quote by Vanessa Redgrave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/829/vanessa-redgrave-12176_change_principles-aren-t-something-you-hear-muc_431736.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/829/vanessa-redgrave-12176_change_principles-aren-t-something-you-hear-muc_431736.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/829/vanessa-redgrave-12176_change_principles-aren-t-something-you-hear-muc_431736.jpg) > “Principles aren't something you hear much from politicians these days. Have you noticed? Right across the board, leaders, whatever the political coloring, avoid talking about laws; they avoid talking about principles. They talk about 'our values.' But values can change, and all our packets of 'values' seem to be getting smaller.” [Vanessa Redgrave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanessa-redgrave/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Politicians avoid discussing principles, preferring vague, mutable values. **In simple terms:** Leaders talk about values instead of principles. Key Takeaway Focus on clear principles. Themes politics leadership values principles Mood skeptical critical Type analytical political When to use this quote - political debates - campaign speeches - policy discussions Key Concepts public discourse ethical standards policy making Questions to Reflect On - How can citizens demand principle‑based politics? - What are the risks of vague values? A Different Perspective Values are subjective and can shift, making them unreliable anchors. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Leadership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leadership/) [Politicians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politicians/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Principles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/principles/) [Values](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/values/) ## Related quotes > [When I talk about the polling, I'm talking about the principles. It shows these officials are knowingly attempting to shift public opinion, even though…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/when-i-talk-about-the-polling-i-m-talking-about-the-principles-it/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [Principles aren't of much account anyway, except at election time. After that you hang them up to let them season.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/principles-aren-t-of-much-account-anyway-except-at-election-time/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [I believe that politicians should implement the promises that they've given in manifestos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-rees-mogg/i-believe-that-politicians-should-implement-the-promises-that-they-ve/) [Jacob Rees-Mogg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-rees-mogg/) > [“Ever notice how the same politicians who claim to be against trickle-down economics have no problem bailing out banks and other politically connected businesses?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-m-mcgroarty/ever-notice-how-the-same-politicians-who-claim-to-be-against-trickle/) [Colin M. McGroarty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-m-mcgroarty/) > [I suspect most politicians feel overwhelmed because people's lives are a real struggle, full of unhappiness, and you would probably feel powerless to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-brand/i-suspect-most-politicians-feel-overwhelmed-because-people-s-lives/) [Jo Brand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-brand/) > [There is no reason why one should believe you should leave out politicians in cricket or any sport for that matter. There are ways…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roosevelt-skerrit/there-is-no-reason-why-one-should-believe-you-should-leave-out/) Roosevelt Skerrit > [A statesman is a politician who has been dead ten or fifteen years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman-2/a-statesman-is-a-politician-who-has-been-dead-ten-or-fifteen-years/) [Harry S Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman-2/) > [Global poverty is the product of reversible policy failures overseen by politicians, past and present. The poorest of the poor don't vote in American…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-evans/global-poverty-is-the-product-of-reversible-policy-failures-overseen/) [Hugh Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-evans/) > [I think politicians really go with the tide.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-carter/i-think-politicians-really-go-with-the-tide/) [Jimmy Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-carter/) > [“Don't let cycles of violent crimes, uncontrollable, rising cases of bloody impunity, evil puppets in a crippled judiciary, marionettes in a corrupted legislative system…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angelica-hopes/don-t-let-cycles-of-violent-crimes-uncontrollable-rising-cases-of/) [Angelica Hopes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angelica-hopes/) > [90% of politicians give the other 10% a bad name.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-a-kissinger/90-of-politicians-give-the-other-10-a-bad-name/) [Henry A. Kissinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-a-kissinger/) > [Politicians try to see the world through other people's lenses and try to bring people together so that we can have a mutual view…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-capuano/politicians-try-to-see-the-world-through-other-people-s-lenses-and/) [Michael Capuano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-capuano/) > [I happen to think it's the politics that makes you electable, but the reason for that is politicians sometimes talk about electability as if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-blair/i-happen-to-think-it-s-the-politics-that-makes-you-electable-but-the/) [Tony Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-blair/) > [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/) > [“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 ## More by Vanessa Redgrave > [An awful lot of filmmaking and playmaking is taken over by marketers and publicists, who set about to tell people what to think. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanessa-redgrave/an-awful-lot-of-filmmaking-and-playmaking-is-taken-over-by-marketers/) [Vanessa Redgrave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanessa-redgrave/) > [Theater and poetry were what helped people stay alive and want to go on living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanessa-redgrave/theater-and-poetry-were-what-helped-people-stay-alive-and-want-to-go/) [Vanessa Redgrave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanessa-redgrave/) > [I thought my story, my experiences as a 2-year-old 'evacuee' from London at the outset of the war, could be important. What happened to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanessa-redgrave/i-thought-my-story-my-experiences-as-a-2-year-old-evacuee-from-london/) [Vanessa Redgrave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanessa-redgrave/) > [Shakespeare lets us see real people undergoing real processes, with real feelings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanessa-redgrave/shakespeare-lets-us-see-real-people-undergoing-real-processes-with/) [Vanessa Redgrave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanessa-redgrave/) > [The stage is actor's country. You have to get your passport stamped every so often or they take away your citizenship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanessa-redgrave/the-stage-is-actor-s-country-you-have-to-get-your-passport-stamped/) [Vanessa Redgrave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanessa-redgrave/) > [Ask the right questions if you're to find the right answers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanessa-redgrave/ask-the-right-questions-if-you-re-to-find-the-right-answers/) [Vanessa Redgrave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanessa-redgrave/) > [Ask the right questions if you're going to find the right answers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanessa-redgrave/ask-the-right-questions-if-you-re-going-to-find-the-right-answers/) [Vanessa Redgrave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanessa-redgrave/) > [I think the theatre is as essential to civilization as safe, pure water.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanessa-redgrave/i-think-the-theatre-is-as-essential-to-civilization-as-safe-pure-water/) [Vanessa Redgrave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanessa-redgrave/) > [We are child-bearers primarily, and we are the weaker sex, and once we've given birth to our children, our life is by necessity bound…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanessa-redgrave/we-are-child-bearers-primarily-and-we-are-the-weaker-sex-and-once-we/) [Vanessa Redgrave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanessa-redgrave/) > [I give myself to my parts as to a lover.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanessa-redgrave/i-give-myself-to-my-parts-as-to-a-lover/) [Vanessa Redgrave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanessa-redgrave/) > [The notion of 'building a career' had never been heard or dreamed of when I was young.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanessa-redgrave/the-notion-of-building-a-career-had-never-been-heard-or-dreamed-of/) [Vanessa Redgrave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanessa-redgrave/) > [I've identified all my life with refugees.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanessa-redgrave/i-ve-identified-all-my-life-with-refugees/) [Vanessa Redgrave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanessa-redgrave/) > [I got my first film break because the director Karel Reisz saw me at a small theater party.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanessa-redgrave/i-got-my-first-film-break-because-the-director-karel-reisz-saw-me-at/) [Vanessa Redgrave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanessa-redgrave/) > [A deeper truth the camera can see can be more surprising than even the director imagined it could be. That's a wonderful thing that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanessa-redgrave/a-deeper-truth-the-camera-can-see-can-be-more-surprising-than-even/) [Vanessa Redgrave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanessa-redgrave/) > [There always comes a moment where all the departments in a film need to work together. And if a director, his first assistant director,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanessa-redgrave/there-always-comes-a-moment-where-all-the-departments-in-a-film-need/) [Vanessa Redgrave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanessa-redgrave/) [Explore all 56 Vanessa Redgrave quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanessa-redgrave/) ## More Change quotes > [Only within yourself exists the other reality for which you long. I can give you nothing that has not already its being within yourself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/only-within-yourself-exists-the-other-reality-for-which-you-long-i/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [“…progress isn't necessarily about change but about things turning out as we want them to”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-hogan/progress-isn-t-necessarily-about-change-but-about-things-turning-out/) Phil Hogan > [Nobody can tell me that no changes are necessary in Washington.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-weld/nobody-can-tell-me-that-no-changes-are-necessary-in-washington/) [William Weld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-weld/) > [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [When you walk down the street of Kabul your values for life changes, they do change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-pierre-white/when-you-walk-down-the-street-of-kabul-your-values-for-life-changes/) [Marco Pierre White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-pierre-white/) > [Your world will change whether or not you choose to change, but you have the power to choose it's direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/your-world-will-change-whether-or-not-you-choose-to-change-but-you/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [I hope I continue to evolve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-flair/i-hope-i-continue-to-evolve/) [Charlotte Flair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-flair/) > [“Stay focused on bringing people together and more on positive messaging so that you can be the change you wish to see in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/stay-focused-on-bringing-people-together-and-more-on-positive/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/) [Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/) > [“After the funeral, my life changed. I felt as if time were suddenly precious, water going down an open drain, and I could not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/after-the-funeral-my-life-changed-i-felt-as-if-time-were-suddenly/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [You practice mindfulness, on the one hand, to be calm and peaceful. On the other hand, as you practice mindfulness and live a life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-practice-mindfulness-on-the-one-hand-to-be-calm-and-peaceful-on/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Irish research will contribute to global progress and have the potential to help all countries realise the potential of their land sectors in addressing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enda-kenny/irish-research-will-contribute-to-global-progress-and-have-the/) [Enda Kenny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enda-kenny/) > [No man can change himself into anything from sheer reason; he can only change into what he potentially is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/no-man-can-change-himself-into-anything-from-sheer-reason-he-can-only/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) [Browse all 33,920 Change quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Principles aren't something you hear much from politicians these days. 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