If humiliation and rejection are to be the rewards of faithful and effective service in this field, what are those of us to conclude who have also served prominently in this line of work but upon whom this badge has not yet been conferred? We cannot deceive ourselves into believing that it was merit, rather than chance, that spared some of us the necessity of working in areas of activity that have now become controversial, of recording opinions people now find disagreeable, of aiding in the implementation of policies now under question. ... In no field of endeavor is it easier than in the field of foreign affairs to be honestly wrong; in no field is it harder for contemporaries to be certain they can distinguish between wisdom and folly; in no field would it be less practicable to try to insist on infallibility as a mark of fitness for office.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Foreign affairs is hard to judge. Wisdom and folly are hard to distinguish contemporarily. Infallibility is impractical.
- In plain terms
- Foreign service is judged harshly later. It is hard to tell wisdom from folly at the time.
- What can you take from it?
- Do not demand infallibility in foreign affairs; wisdom is hard to judge.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- How do you judge past leaders?
- Is infallibility ever possible?
Another view
Accountability mechanisms are still needed despite difficulty of judgment.
More from George F. Kennan
A political society does not live to conduct foreign policy; it would be more correct to say that it conducts foreign policy in order to live.
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Permalink to quote #3 A foreign policy aimed at the achievement of total security is the one thing I can think of that is entirely capable of bringing this country to a point where …
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