The Acerbic Wit of H L Mencken: On Politicians

This weekend as I was corresponding with someone about the state of today's political scene a quote from Mark Twain, a notable cynic on these matters, came to mind. This was followed by another quote from the curmudgeonly H.L. Mencken, whose scathing pen was more fierce than any sword.

I've enjoyed reading Mencken in the past, in part because he never once paused to consider political correctness in his writing like most writers must today. Writing for the Baltimore Sun, he seemed to relish kicking over hornets' nests. Here are some of his razor-sharp barbs on politicians and politics which I copied them from Wikiquote.  

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Off goes the head of the king, and tyranny gives way to freedom. The change seems abysmal. Then, bit by bit, the face of freedom hardens, and by and by it is the old face of tyranny. Then another cycle, and another. But under the play of all these opposites there is something fundamental and permanent — the basic delusion that men may be governed and yet be free.

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All government, in its essence, is a conspiracy against the superior man: its one permanent object is to oppress him and cripple him...

The most dangerous man to any government is the man who is able to think things out for himself, without regard to the prevailing superstitions and taboos. Almost inevitably he comes to the conclusion that the government he lives under is dishonest, insane and intolerable, and so, if he is romantic, he tries to change it. And even if he is not romantic personally he is very apt to spread discontent among those who are.

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My literary theory, like my politics, is based chiefly upon one idea, to wit, the idea of freedom. I am, in belief, a libertarian of the most extreme variety.

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Every step in human progress, from the first feeble stirrings in the abyss of time, has been opposed by the great majority of men. Every valuable thing that has been added to the store of man's possessions has been derided by them when it was new, and destroyed by them when they had power. They have fought every new truth ever heard of, and they have killed every truth-seeker who got into their hands.

Homo Neanderthalensis Baltimore Sun (June 29th, 1925), The Impossible Mencken

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No one in this world, so far as I know—and I have researched the records for years, and employed agents to help me—has ever lost money by underestimating the intelligence of the great masses of the plain people. Nor has anyone ever lost public office thereby.

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Democracy, in fact, is always inventing class distinctions, despite its theoretical abhorrence of them.

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If he became convinced tomorrow that coming out for cannibalism would get him the votes he needs so sorely, he would begin fattening a missionary in the White House yard come Wednesday. (Referring to FDR)

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It is inaccurate to say I hate everything. I am strongly in favor of common sense, common honesty, and common decency. This makes me forever ineligible for public office.

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Every decent man is ashamed of the government he lives under.

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The chief difference between free capitalism and State socialism seems to be this: that under the former a man pursues his own advantage openly, frankly and honestly, whereas under the latter he does so hypocritically and under false pretenses.

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I'd love to see what Mencken might have written about the past six or eight years. His way of putting things is entertaining, but if you've got thin skin, keep your distance. The best approach for all readers of Mencken is to enjoy the spicy flavor of the meat and spit out the bones.