A coalition is not a dinner party, or writing an essay, or painting a picture, or doing embroidery.
All conservatives are paper tigers.
Liberalism is not love. Liberalism is a hammer which we use to crush the enemy.
Despise our Coalition partner strategically, but take him seriously tactically.
I voted for you, the people of Britain, during your last election.
In time of difficulties, we must not lose sight of my achievements.
In waking a tiger, use a long stick…or, alternatively, take all their benefits away
Learn from the masses, and then teach them.
Let a hundred flowers bloom, let a hundred schools be run by by amateurs
Once all power is grasped, miracles are possible. I am a miracle.
People like me sound like a lot of big cannons.
Political power grows out of the barrel of a gun.. but being a Liberal gun, it will a legal war.
Political work is the life-blood of all economic work.
Swollen in head, weak in legs, sharp in tongue but empty in belly… that’s me!
[Above: With apologies to Mao Tse Clegg]
And here are some recent statements from The Great Leader...which he actually said….
The contrast with experience and youth compared to the callow charms of David Cameron will serve us well.
“I don’t think compromise is betrayal.” Clegg on the day of the Queen’s speech.
“I am a revolutionary but I am also a pragmatist,” said Clegg.
“You can call it fairness. You can call it responsibility. You can call it liberalism.” Nick Clegg defining coalition’s philosophy at the rose garden press conference.
“let a hundred schools be run by by amateurs”
I want to reclaim the word “amateur” for its proper and original meaning. The root of the word “amateur” is amātor. It means a to be a lover, devotee, enthusiast. It manifestly should not be used as a synonym for incompetent naivety as it so often is.
One could similarly produce a rather unflattering version of “professional” as one only interested an activity for the money that might be made from it.
I guess the serious point here is that those who describe themselves as professional are not always so devoted or disinterested as one might wish. I think of the dreadful Shirley McKie case where, let us say, the interests of justice came rather close to being subjugated to the professional interests of a professional clique.
I maintain a sceptical view of many professions as the line between professional and public interest is sometimes drawn rather too close to the former. I know it is considered to be a dreadful British (or is it English) obsession with the “cult of the amateur”, to steal the title of a rather poor book, and in British sensibilities rather too associated with the Victorian and Edwardian leisured middle classes, but I have some considerable sympathy with the intentions. I think if we allow our lives and institutions to be the sole preserve of the qualified clique, we could yet lose something important.
This does not denigrate those with true technical training an and skill. One does not want to be operated on by an untrained surgeon, or taught mathematics by an innumerate enthusiast. However, it’s when the aims, direct, and purpose of education is hijacked by an elite we ought to worry. I’m not convinced that the objectives and purpose setting by the educational establishment has necessarily served us well, yet the strategic aims and methods of the school system have been subject to just such a structure.
Steve – excellent comment… I agree with the reclamation of the word ‘amateur’ to the original meaning!
I think there is a tendency in England, perhaps more than Scotland? – in the past to be suspicious of ‘learning and intelligence’.
The phrase ‘wear your learning lightly’ is, of course, a very well known concept and there is much value to it.
I learned a long time ago not to confuse intelligence with education. Unfortunately, ‘education’ for specific work is required, be it lawyer, surgeon, plumber, builder…. perhaps we don’t encourage intelligence enough.
Looking at the A level results again today – knowing that I disregarded A levels when looking at students and prospective lecturers when I ran a law school (largely, because it is fairly easy to tutor reasonably bright and hard working people to excel at A levels – and there has been grade inflation) – I think we get too worked up about the subject.
I agree with the ideal that we should encourage more to go into vocational trades – and apprenticeships should definitely be encouraged and credit given should those who complete apprenticeships want to take advantage of university education later.
A big subject and not one I want to take on here!
Masterly!
THE THOUGHTS OF CHAIRMAN CLEGG BURN LIKE A RED SUN IN OUR HEARTS!!!!!
Remind me to tell you my favourite nutty Maoist story over a glass sometime…