Concerning the politician and his constituents

Abstract

Constituents come in many types, each of which has to be treated in their own way. But of more concern to any politician is the management of those citizens who actually take the trouble to vote. If he doesn’t have an opportunity to make a good impression on them, how will he win their support at the next election? On no account should he assume that he is entitled to that support, and, knowing that, he must actively portray himself as interested in their well-being. Lastly, he must be mindful of any small upsets in the local body politic. Unattended, they can result in major blow-ups if not noticed early and defused immediately.

It is a general popular error to imagine the loudest

complainers for the public to be the most anxious for its welfare.

Edmund Burke

Observation on a late Publication entitled ‘The Present State of the Nation’ (1769), in The Oxford Dictionary of Political Quotations, Anthony Jay, ed. (Oxford: 1997), p. 62. In fact, the louder they are, the less they know or even care about the general public.