“Politics is a science. You can demonstrate that you are right and that others are wrong.”
- June 21, 1905 – April 15, 1980
- Born in France
- Philosopher, novelist, playwright
- He advocated existentialism and had a major influence on 20th century thought through works such as “Being and Nothingness” and “Nausea”
Quote
“Politics is a science. You can demonstrate that you are right and that others are wrong.”
Explanation
In this quote, Sartre presents a view of politics that emphasizes the rational and logical aspects of political debate. He frames politics as a science, implying that political positions can be subject to objective reasoning, where one can prove the validity of their own perspective while discrediting opposing views. This suggests that in Sartre’s eyes, political discourse is not just about opinion or belief, but about the use of evidence, logic, and argumentation to settle disputes and validate truth. He implies that in politics, there is an objective basis for determining what is right or wrong, and that, through proper reasoning and evidence, one can demonstrate the superiority of their stance.
However, given Sartre’s broader existentialist philosophy, there may be a layer of irony in this statement. While politics may be approached as a science—allowing for the demonstration of right and wrong through logic—Sartre’s philosophy often challenges the idea of absolute truths. From an existentialist perspective, truth and justice are not always fixed or easily proven. Political beliefs are often shaped by complex historical, social, and personal factors that can’t always be neatly proven or disproven through logic alone. This raises the possibility that Sartre is commenting on the way politics is often used to justify one’s ideological superiority, even in the face of competing perspectives. In this sense, the claim that politics is a “science” might also be an acknowledgment of how easily people can manipulate facts and arguments to assert dominance over others.
In modern contexts, this quote could be applied to the polarized nature of contemporary political discourse. Many people approach politics as a battle of ideas, where the goal is to demonstrate that one side is correct and the other is wrong. This quote speaks to the confidence and certainty with which political figures, activists, and individuals often argue their positions, believing they can prove their perspective is the right one. Sartre’s words, however, remind us of the complexity of truth in political systems, and how political debates often become more about winning than about finding common ground or understanding the multifaceted nature of human society and experience.
