" A nation of sheep will beget a government of wolves. "

~ Edward R. Murrow... maybe.

Discovered via:
/s/Coronavirus/comments/4ctf/mountains_of_evidence_show_covid19_was_all_over/
from 2:10:20 to 2:11:30.

Not on the https://en.WikiQuote.org/wiki/Edward_R._Murrow page, but it is on the discussion page, where I found the article below.

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There's no shortage of fun and interesting imagery used with this quote on DuckDuckGo and Google.

 

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Entry from May 17, 2010

“ A nation of sheep will beget a government of wolves ”

" A nation of sheep will beget a government of wolves ” is often credited to American broadcast journalist Edward R. Murrow (1909-1965). The saying means that the electorate cannot be “ sheep ” or they will be taken over by “ wolves ” (such as a totalitarian dictatorship).

“ A society of sheep must in time beget a government of wolves ” has been credited to French philosopher Bertrand de Jouvenel (1903-1987) since at least 1949. It is probable that de Jouvenel originated the saying.

Wikipedia: Bertrand de Jouvenel
Bertrand de Jouvenel des Ursins, usually known only as Bertrand de Jouvenel October 1903 – 1 March 1987) was a French philosopher, political economist, and futurist.

 

Wikiquote: Wolves
Unsourced
A society of sheep must in time beget a government of wolves.
~ Bertrand de Jouvenal

Wikiquote: Government
Unsourced
A nation of sheep will beget a government of wolves.
~ Edward Murrow

3 July 1943, Burlington (NC) Daily Times-News, “ To Thomas Jefferson: A Tribute, ” pg. 4, col. 2:
ON TYRANNICAL GOVERNMENT
We affirm, in the face of unparalleled examples, our agreement with your abhorrence of government by tyranny: “ To have an idea of the curse of existence under (governments of force), they must be seen. It is a government of wolves over sheep. ”—Letter to James Madison, 1787.

Google Books
The Reader’s Digest
v. 54 - 1949
Pg. 7:
Bertrand de Jouvenel: A society of sheep must in time beget a government of wolves.

14 June 1950, New Orleans (LA) Times-Picayune, “ ‘Longism’ Scored in Lafargue Talk ” by george jackson, pg. 7, col. 1:
Lafargue admitted that Huey Long gave the state “ many improvements. ” But he added that “ we are still paying the cost on public debt and high taxes. ”
“ Government of Wolves ”
“ His political philosophy left a society of sheep and a government of wolves, ” Lafargue said.

Google Books
Shirtsleeve Economics;
A commonsense survey
By William A Paton
New York, NY: Appleton-Century-Crofts
1952
Pg. 263:
The need for eternal vigilance on the part of the citizenry to keep government within bounds is implied in Bertrand de Jouvenel’s famous remark: “ A society of sheep must in time beget a government of wolves. ”

Google Books
Second encyclopedia of stories, quotations, and anecdotes
Edited by Jacob Morton Braude
Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall
1957
Pg. 150:
A society of sheep must in time beget a government of wolves. — BERTRAND DE JOUVENEL

20 March 1958, Richardson (TX) Echo, pg. 7, col. 6:
A society of sheep must, in time, beget a government of wolves.—Bertrand DeJouvenel.

23 February 1977, Trenton (NJ) Evening Times, pg. A11, col. 2:
“ A society of sheep must in time beget a government of wolves. ”
~ Bertrand de Jouvenal.

Google Books
The Ramblings Of A Realist
By Charlie Walker
Biggleswade, Beds: Watkiss Studios Ltd.
2000
Pg. 24:
A society of sheep must in time beget a government of wolves and it is useless for the sheep to pass resolutions in favour of vegetarianism whilst the wolf remains of a different opinion.
Dean William. R Inge.

 

Posted by Barry Popik, Monday, May 17, 2010

 

Copypasta from:

https://www.BarryPopik.com/index.php/new_york_city/entry/a_nation_of_sheep_will_beget_a_government_of_wolves

 

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