Common good Quote by Yuval Levin
““Burke argued that political parties were not, as many people insisted, factions each contending for its own particular advantage, but rather were bodies of men each united by a vision of the common good of the whole nation. Partisanship, he insisted, was not only unavoidable but also beneficial, as it helped to organize politics into camps defined by different priorities about what was best for the country.””
About This Quote
Keene views parties as groups united by a shared vision of national good, making partisanship inevitable and constructive for organizing political priorities.
In simple terms: Parties unite around national good, making partisanship useful.
Key Takeaway
Embrace constructive partisanship for better governance.
Themes
politics
partisanship
national good
organization
collaboration
Mood
optimistic
analytical
Type
theoretical
motivational
When to use this quote
- elections
- policy debates
- legislative negotiations
- campaign strategy
- public discourse
Key Concepts
collective vision
political theory
public good
Questions to Reflect On
- How can parties balance shared vision with diverse interests?
- What mechanisms reduce partisan gridlock?
A Different Perspective
Partisanship can also entrench division and hinder compromise.
![“[Burke] emphasized that the new forms of politics, which hope to organize society around the rational pursuit of liberty, equality, fraternity, or their modernist equivalents, are actually forms of militant irrationality.” quote by Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/369/roger-scruton-971_form_burke-emphasized-that-the-new-forms-of-p_2637571.jpg)
![“[They] may have for instance taken the view of Edmund Burke, who in the 18th century made the central conservative insight; that a culture and a society are not things run for the convenience of the people who happen to be here right now, but is a deep pact between the dead, the living, and those…” quote by Douglas Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/55e/douglas-murray-12950_civilization_they-may-have-for-instance-taken-the-vie_1240371.jpg)
![“[T]heories inevitably can't be as complex as life itself.” quote by Yuval Levin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/883/yuval-levin-33921_complexity_t-heories-inevitably-can-t-be-as-complex_1982661.jpg)
