On the record
In the half-century after he wrote the men who dominated political life were, with the best intentions, moved by motives at most points unrelated to the national well-being.
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Harold J. Laski
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gutenberg.orgHarold J. Laski: “In the half-century after he wrote the men who dominated political life were, with the best intentions, moved by motives…”
Editor's note · Context
Laski reflects on the disconnect between political leaders' intentions and the national well-being in the years following Smith's writings.
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More from Harold J. Laski
We grant toleration in one part of the field only to deny it in another.
Each age finds that the incidence of freedom is significant at some special point, and there, once more, the lesson of freedom has to be learned.
It has been the historic character of persecution always to degrade the persecutor and to strengthen the persecuted by drawing attention to their claims.
The essence of the persecuting position is always that the persecutor has hold of truth and that he would betray its service by allowing it to be questioned.
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