Talk:The Masses Are Asses

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Source of the phrase[edit]

From the massline: According to Laurence J. Peter, Peter's Quotations (NY: Bantam, 1979) p. 395, what Alexander Hamilton (d. 1804) really said was "the people—that great beast!", which is similar, but not exactly the same. Even earlier, Alexander Pope (d. 1744) said "The people are a many-headed beast" (Imitations of Horace, I. i.) --Blainster 12:02, 29 September 2007 (UTC)[reply]

The general sentiment is often traced to Plato (and sometimes the quote is misattributed to him as well). --Delirium 21:57, 15 November 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Karl Rove[edit]

As a recent George Washington University Political Science graduate, I don't know of a separate graduation event at which Rove would have made this comment. I couldn't find the remark cited elsewhere with a quick search, either. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 206.194.135.24 (talk) 23:52, 3 March 2010 (UTC)[reply]

I have added the cite to the page. The speech was at the Graduate School of Political Management, July 29, 2006. The phrase is used 8 minutes into the 19 minute speech. --Blainster (talk) 21:52, 30 April 2010 (UTC)[reply]

In googling the phrase it has been said that several people coined it .. John Locke (The father of modern education) Ben Franklin, Thomas Jefferson and several others..[edit]

I have found it used as a title in a chapter of this book published in 1805 America History in Verse on page 25 http://www.americahistoryinverse.com/America19thcentpart1A.pdf — Preceding unsigned comment added by 72.87.188.109 (talk) 05:14, 9 December 2012 (UTC)[reply]

Google search engine is not an acceptable reference. Blainster (talk) 02:30, 2 April 2017 (UTC)[reply]