"A string of unbroken success leads people expect their leaders to be infallible, and when he falls short, they hate him. Complete failures are even worse, for then the leader is seen as weak. He is no longer treated as a factor by his rivals, who immediately move to fill the vacuum. The successful leader is one who is able to convince his people that they are in desperate straits, and only he has the strength and wisdom to keep them safe. Then the trick is never to put this reputation for strength and wisdom to the test. Glorious but untested reputations last forever."
Quote Details
Added by wikiquote-import-bot
Unverified quote
0 likes
Original Language: English
Available Languages (1)
Sources
Chapter 15: War Correspondent
https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Hidden_Empire
Revision History
No revisions have been submitted for this quote.
Categories
Hidden Empire
7 quotes on TrueQuotesView all quotes by Hidden Empire →
Related Quotes
"People know many things, and half of them are wrong. If only we knew which half, we'd have reason to be proud of our …"
"Human beings are not designed to keep secrets. Every aspect of our being is shaped for the sharing of information - t…"
"Praying for rain is such a bad idea. Even in the midst of a terrible drought, someone will say, Of course I want it t…"
"Everything is too long a list to work with. No one knows everything about anything. No one knows something about ever…"
"War will exist as long as any community desires to impose its will on another community more than it desires peace. C…"
"A ruler's friend's judge him by his achievements, his enemies by the means he used to obtain them."
"We Earth Men have a talent for ruining big, beautiful things. The only reason we didn’t set up hot-dog stands in the …"
"Yes, their cities are good. They knew how to blend art into their living. It’s always been a thing apart for American…"
"They knew how to live with nature and get along with nature. They didn’t try too hard to be all men and no animal. Th…"
"…at base, science is no more than an investigation of a miracle we can never explain, and art is an interpretation of…"