The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed (and hence clamorous to be led to safety) by menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins, all of them imaginary.

Summary

This quote, attributed to journalist H.L. Mencken, suggests that the primary objective of practical politics is to create and maintain a state of fear among the general population. By doing so, politicians can easily gather support from the alarmed masses, who are then more willing to be guided towards what they perceive as safety. The quote also alludes to the idea that politicians often manipulate public fears by exaggerating or fabricating threats or crises, keeping the populace in a constant state of anxiety.

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