The unanimously applauded, self-congratulatory bromides of a Soviet Party Congress seemed contemptible. The unanimity of the sanctimonious, reality-concealing rhetoric spouted by American officials and media commentators in recent days seems, well, unworthy of a mature democracy.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- The author compares self-congratulatory Soviet rhetoric to similar behavior by American officials.
- In plain terms
- American leaders sound just as insincere as Soviet leaders when praising themselves.
- What can you take from it?
- Be wary of political rhetoric that ignores reality.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- What makes a democracy mature?
- How do leaders hide reality?
Another view
Drawing parallels between different political systems can be controversial.
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