Michael Sandel Quotes on Politics
Michael Sandel is an American political philosopher, professor at Harvard University, and one of the most widely read public philosophers of our time. This page collects quotes attributed to Michael Sandel on the topic of politics, drawn from across the philosopher's works.
Quotes
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Attributed to Michael Sandel:
“A meritocracy that is not also humble is a tyranny.”
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Attributed to Michael Sandel:
“We are constituted in part by ends we have not chosen.”
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“Unlike the liberty of the early republic, the modern version permits — in fact even requires — concentrated power.”
Michael J. Sandel, "The Procedural Republic and the Unencumbered Self" (1984) -
“Political philosophy seems often to reside at a distance from the world. Principles are one thing, politics another, and even our best efforts to live up to our ideals seldom fully succeed.”
Preface -
“But if political philosophy is unrealizable in one sense, it is unavoidable in another.”
Preface -
“A public philosophy is an elusive thing, for it is constantly before our eyes. It forms the often unreflective background to our political discourse and pursuits. In ordinary times, the public philosophy can easily escape the notice of those who live by it. But anxious times compel a certain clarity. They force first principles to the surface and offer an occasion for critical reflection.”
Chap. 1. The Public Philosophy of Contemporary Liberalism