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To befool and mislead the people, to falsify public opinion, is to pervert and destroy a republican form of government.
Free government is government by public opinion. Upon the soundness and integrity of public opinion depends the destiny of our democracy.

— Robert M. La Follette Sr. Fooling the People As A Fine Art (1918)

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More quotes by Robert M. La Follette Sr.

Wealth has never yet sacrificed itself on the altar of patriotism.

Publicity, discussion, and agitation are necessary to accomplish any work of lasting benefit.

Mere passive citizenship is not enough. Men must be aggressive for what is right if government is to be saved from those who are aggressive for what is wrong.

The individual is fast disappearing as a business factor and in his stead is this new device, the modern corporation.

The real cure for the ills of democracy is more democracy.

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Quote text and notes from Wikiquote: Robert M. La Follette Sr. (page history), available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source quality and labels are our own summary of what Wikiquote records.