Politics is the art of preventing people from taking part in affairs which properly concern them.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Valery critiques politics as a tool used to keep people out of matters that affect them.
- In plain terms
- Politics stops people from deciding on their own affairs.
- What can you take from it?
- Politics can exclude people from self-governance.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Is politics for control or empowerment?
- How do you engage in politics?
Another view
This ignores that politics can also empower people to participate.
More from Paul Valery
Politics is the art of stopping people from minding their own business.
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