On the record
They are solely concerned with his attractiveness as a candidate; they need not regard his efficiency as a ruler.
Said by
Walter Bagehot
Source
gutenberg.orgWalter Bagehot: “They are solely concerned with his attractiveness as a candidate; they need not regard his efficiency as a ruler.”
Editor's note · Context
Bagehot emphasizes that the selection of a candidate often prioritizes their public appeal over their actual effectiveness as a leader.
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More from Walter Bagehot
Subject to this saving remark, however, I not only admit, but maintain, that our Constitution is full of curious oddities, which are impeding and mischievous, and ought to be struck out.
The casual line was traced according to the strength of deceased combatants; succeeding generations fought elsewhere; and the hesitating line of a half-drawn battle was left to stand for a perpetual limit.
These anomalies, in a hundred instances, mark the old boundaries of a constitutional struggle.
Just so the lines of our Constitution were framed in old eras of sparse population, few wants, and simple habits; and we adhere in seeming to their shape, though civilisation has come with its dangers, complications, and enjoyments.
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