"Technically, the city of Ankh-Morpork is a Tyranny, which is not always the same thing as a monarchy, and in fact even the post of Tyrant has been somewhat redefined by the incumbent, Lord Vetinari, as the only form of democracy that works. Everyone is entitled to vote, unless disqualified by reason of age or not being Lord Vetinari. And yet it does work. This has annoyed a number of people who feel, somehow, that it should not, and who want a monarch instead, thus replacing a man who has achieved his position by cunning, a deep understanding of the realities of the human psyche, breathtaking diplomacy, a certain prowess with the stiletto dagger, and, all agree, a mind like a finely balanced circular saw, with a man who has got there by being born.‡ ‡ A third proposition, that the city be governed by a choice of respectable members of the community who would promise not to give themselves airs or betray the public trust at every turn, was instantly the subject of music-hall jokes all over the city. (p. 1)"
Quote Details
Added by wikiquote-import-bot
Unverified quote
0 likes
Original Language: English
Available Languages (1)
Sources
Imported from EN Wikiquote
https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Discworld
Revision History
No revisions have been submitted for this quote.
Categories
Discworld
1650 quotes on TrueQuotesView all quotes by Discworld →
Related Quotes
"He was bewildered. This didn’t matter very much; bewilderment was often a copper’s lot. His job was to make sense of …"
"But sometimes you should follow the arrogance…You should look for those who can’t believe that the law would ever cat…"
"He was eating a roasted rabbit like there was no tomorrow—which clearly had been the case for the rabbit. (p. 417)"
"They think that I’m like them! I hate that! They just don’t get it! They’ve got on well for years without ever having…"
"But I’ll say this for the old bastard: he is honorable, honest and straightforward. It’s a shame that he is also pigh…"
"When you aren’t expecting it, that’s when you should expect it! (p. 428)"
"You’re just a bully who found it easier and easier and decided that everybody else wasn’t really a real person, not l…"
"Woman’s logic, Sam thought: everything is going to be all right because it ought to be all right. The trouble is, rea…"
"The law is there for the people, rather than the other way round. (p. 446)"
"Can I make one thing perfectly clear, your grace, the law cannot act retrospectively. If it did, none of us would be …"