Enemy Quote by William Barr
“I mean, republics have fallen because of Praetorian Guard mentality where government officials get very arrogant, they identify the national interest with their own political preferences and they feel that anyone who has a different opinion, you know, is somehow an enemy of the state.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Remarks on governance, 2018
Arrogant officials equate national interest with personal agenda, creating enemies.
In simple terms: Power can corrupt purpose.
Key Takeaway
Guard against self‑interest.
Themes
politics
power
arrogance
national interest
enemy
Mood
critical
cautious
Type
political
reflective
When to use this quote
- policy making
- public service
- media scrutiny
Key Concepts
ethics
political theory
leadership
Questions to Reflect On
- How to ensure diverse opinions?
- What checks prevent arrogance?
A Different Perspective
Complex issues may be oversimplified.
![“[A]ll popular and well-mixed governments [republics] . . . are ever established by wise and good men, and can never be upheld otherwise than by virtue: The worst men always conspiring against them, they must fall, if the best have not power to preserve them. . . . [and] unless they be preserved in…” quote by Algernon Sidney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/1c1/algernon-sidney-20606_conspiring_a-ll-popular-and-well-mixed-governments_696129.jpg)
