the whole stability of a democratic polity rests upon the fact that every interest is every man's interest.
 Woodrow Wilson, The New Freedom (1913). copy citation

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Author Woodrow Wilson
Source The New Freedom
Topic interest stability
Date 1913
Language English
Reference
Note
Weblink http://www.gutenberg.org/files/14811/14811-h/14811-h.htm

Context

“If I thought that the American people were reckless, were ignorant, were vindictive, I might shrink from putting the government into their hands. But the beauty of democracy is that when you are reckless you destroy your own established conditions of life; when you are vindictive, you wreak vengeance upon yourself; the whole stability of a democratic polity rests upon the fact that every interest is every man's interest. The theory that the men of biggest affairs, whose field of operation is the widest, are the proper men to advise the government is, I am willing to admit, rather a plausible theory. If my business covers the United States not only, but covers the world, it is to be presumed that I have a pretty wide scope in my vision of business.” source