"All parties without exception, when they seek for power, are varieties of absolutism"
- Pierre-Joseph Proudhon
About this Quote
This quote by Pierre-Joseph Proudhon recommends that all political parties, despite their ideologies, are ultimately seeking outright power. He implies that all parties, no matter their specified objectives, are eventually aiming to gain control over the federal government and its citizens. This is in contrast to the idea of democracy, which is based upon the concept of shared power and decision-making. Proudhon's quote suggests that all parties, regardless of their specified goals, are ultimately aiming to get control over the government and its residents. This is a caution against the dangers of uncontrolled power and the requirement for residents to stay vigilant and familiar with the capacity for abuse of power. It is likewise a pointer that all political parties must be held liable for their actions which citizens ought to be aware of the capacity for abuse of power.