[Y]ou will understand the game behind the curtain too well not to perceive the old trick of turning every contingency into a resource for accumulating force in the government.
James MadisonRead
I don't think that people are disinterested or uninterested in politics. I think very often they are disengaged from the formal political process. To some extent they are suspicious or even despairing of formal politics as a means to give expression and effect to what they want.
Interpretation
What this quote means
People may care about politics but feel disconnected from the formal political processes.
In this quote, John Bercow expresses the idea that individuals often have an interest in political issues but may feel alienated from the formal mechanisms of politics, such as voting or political institutions. This disengagement could stem from a lack of trust in the political system, leading to suspicions or hopelessness regarding its effectiveness in addressing their needs and desires.
Themes
PoliticsDisengagementTrustSuspicionParticipation
In practice
Example use cases
During a discussion at a community meeting about voter engagement.
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