Wednesday 16 November 2022

'Politicians are not agents of positive change, but thermometers that measure the temperature of public opinion.'


"Libertarians should treat politicians, not as agents of positive change, but as thermometers that measure the temperature of public opinion.
    'Change the temperature,' wrote Leonard Read, 'and there will be a change in what’s out front—naturally and spontaneously. The only purpose in keeping an eye on the thermometer is to know what the temperature is. If the underlying influential opinion—the temperature—is interventionist, we’ll have interventionists in public office regardless of the party labels they may choose for their adornment and public appeal.”
    'If,' on the other hand, as Read continued, 'the underlying influential opinion—the temperature—is libertarian, we’ll have spokesmen for libertarianism in public office. Nor will all the king’s horses and all the king’s men be able to alter the reading of the political thermometer one whit'.”
~ Jess Gill quoting Leonard Read, from her article 'Why Liz Truss Failed While Margaret Thatcher (Partly) Succeeded'


2 comments:

MarkT said...

I agree, we shouldn't count on politicians to change the world for the better. But I do think that encouraging certain politicians can influence the temperature of public opinion for the better. It's why I support someone like David Seymour, because he's generally moving public opinion in the right direction. On the other hand focusing your dislike on specific politicians is rarely effective. It's why I don't jump on the hate-Jacinda bandwagon, because focusing your hatred on one particular individual detracts from understanding the fundamentals of the system that need to change.

Kiwiwit said...

"Politics is downstream of culture" (~ Andrew Breitbart). When you understand this, you understand everything that is happening in the world today.