Quote of the day 12th November 2013

“A great deal of democratic enthusiasm descends from the ideas of people like Rousseau, who believed in democracy because they thought mankind so wise and good that everyone deserved a share in the government.

The danger of defending democracy on those grounds is that they’re not true. . .

I find that they’re not true without looking further than myself. I don’t deserve a share in governing a hen-roost, much less a nation.

The real reason for democracy is just the reverse. Mankind is so fallen that no man can be trusted with unchecked power over his fellows.

Aristotle said that some people were only fit to be slaves. I do not contradict him. But I reject slavery because I see no men fit to be masters.”

( C.S. Lewis, Present Concerns )

Comments

Jim said…
not sure if you saw this story but i do like Fiona's style.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/defence/10441802/Former-Wren-to-ex-minister-You-Sir-are-a-disgrace.html
Jim said…
I dont think much of Nick Harvey either, but to play Devils Advocate, I think that the report is saying the claim he made for attenting Nov 11 was discovered and brought to public attention in May 12.
Chris Whiteside said…
I see what you mean.

The last line of the Telegraph article about the former Wren confronting Sir Nick Harvey could be read two ways, but on the assumption that you may well be right I have removed the comment in which I interpreted it differently.
Chris Whiteside said…
On topic, Clive Staples Lewis, known as "Jack" to his friend but best known to the wider world as C.S. Lewis, creator of "Narnia" and author of "The Screwtape Letters" died 50 years ago this month.

I will be putting in a series of quotes by him over the next couple of weeks.
Jim said…
Must admit i did read it 3 or 4 times as at first i had interpreted it the same way you did.

Though I do think it fair to say that when i claim an expense at work, then I need to list each individual item, list the amount I would like to claim, catagorise it into a broad heading ie. food, hotel, parking, fuel etc.. then I need to provide a till receipt for each individual item claimed (though one receipt may well cover 2 or 3 things, I.e fuel and sandwich an I still need to list each thing.
then i need to sign and date the bottom of the expense form.

Not exactly a process i can do "by accident" really.
Jim said…
Should have said I would also need to state a reason for my claim.

this would be something along the lines of "attend afternoon meeting for x project at Manchester" or "attend X training course at Lancaster"

On thouse grounds Nick Harvy must have "accidently" wrote "petrol", "fuel", "£7.50", "attend remembrance day parade".

He must also have "accidently" took a fuel recipt and kept it then "accidently" stapled it to his expense form. Then and then "accidently" signed and dated said form.
Chris Whiteside said…
Indeed. It's the same for BT as at Sellafield.

Up to the "Duck house" expenses scandal in the last parliament, the House of Commons expenses system was notoriously lax, but the present regime, which was in place before 2011, is considerably stricter.
Jim said…
I thought the story was very on topic with the quote. Its all about the fact that no man is fit to govern another.

The highlighted case shows an example of why. you see if a person is trusted with the level of power and trust currently awarded to ministers, then you would quite rightly like to think he could not make the seris of mistakes listed above when doing something as simple as an expense claim.
Makes you wonder what else he wrote and signed into law by accident doesn't it.
Chris Whiteside said…
Totally fair comment and I apologise if I gave the impression that I meant to infer the story you pointed to wasn't relevant to the quote from C.S. Lewis. It is very relevant indeed.

I was simply explaining why I will be using some more C.S. Lewis quotes this month.

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