John Dewey

Nevertheless, our conception gives a criterion for determining how good a particular state is: namely, the degree of organization of the public which is attained, and the degree in which its officers are so constituted as to perform their…

But there is no a priori rule which can be laid down and by which when it is followed a good state will be brought into existence.

Conditions make the consequences of associated action and the knowledge of them different.

The formation of states must be an experimental process.

Or it may proceed more intelligently, because guided by knowledge of the conditions which must be fulfilled.

And since conditions of action and of inquiry and knowledge are always changing, the experiment must always be retried; the State must always be rediscovered.

It is not the business of political philosophy and science to determine what the state in general should or must be.

What they may do is to aid in creation of methods such that experimentation may go on less blindly, less at the mercy of accident, more intelligently, so that men may learn from their errors and profit by their successes.

The belief in political fixity, of the sanctity of some form of state consecrated by the efforts of our fathers and hallowed by tradition, is one of the stumbling-blocks in the way of orderly and directed change; it is an invitation to…

Then there arise purposes, plans, measures and means, to secure consequences which are liked and eliminate those which are found obnoxious.

Thus perception generates a common interest; that is, those affected by the consequences are perforce concerned in conduct of all those who along with themselves share in bringing about the results.

If one wishes to realize the distance which may lie between “facts” and the meaning of facts, let one go to the field of social discussion.