Quote by Napoleon
In my youth, I, too, entertained some illusions; but I soon recovered from them. The great orators who rule the assemblies by the brilliancy of their eloquence are in general men of the most mediocre political talents: they should not be opposed in their own way; for they have always more noisy words at command than you. Their eloquence should be opposed by a serious and logical argument; their strength lies in vagueness; they should be brought back to the reality of facts; practical arguments destroy them. In the council, there were men possessed of much more eloquence than I was: I always defeated them by this simple argumenttwo and two make four.
Summary
This quote emphasizes the importance of avoiding illusions and ideological rhetoric in politics. The speaker suggests that charismatic orators often lack genuine political abilities, and should not be countered with the same style of eloquence. Instead, they argue that a serious and logical argument based on practical facts is more effective. The speaker uses the example of defeating more eloquent opponents in council by stating a simple and irrefutable truth, like the mathematical equation of two plus two equals four. This quote highlights the power of grounded reasoning and practicality in political debates.
By Napoleon
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