The best policy for a candidate is to hide his opinions, or, for even greater security, not to have any.
Frédéric Bastiat
Complete Works, Volume 1, pages 461 to 480
July 1st, 1846
Some of his friends being keen for him to be a candidate to the legislative elections of 1846, Frédéric Bastiat writes an electoral manifesto. He takes this opportunity to announce what are his liberal views but introduces on a pessimistic note in which he explains why he believes he will not be elected.
Indeed, he is not ready to compromise and is not fool about the position of the other candidates. Today’s quote illustrates perfectly his understanding of the essential issue with the democratic system (without yet repudiate what Winston Churchill will say later on, viz. that “democracy is the worst form of government – except for all the others that have been tried”)
Unfortunately, there is nothing new under the sun and we keep on electing representatives who, either lie about their ideas in order to avoid offending as much as the electorate as possible, or do not have ideas at all.