“Up until our own times men had only received two sorts of teaching in what concerns the relations between politics and morality. One was Plato’s and it said: “Morality decides politics”; and the other was Machiavelli’s, and it said “Politics have nothing to do with morality.” Today we receive a third. M. Maurras teaches: “Politics decide morality.””

— Julien Benda

Source: Treason of the Intellectuals (1927), p. 110

Adopted from Wikiquote. Last update June 3, 2021. History

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Julien Benda 19

French essayist 1867–1956

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