Talk:The Masses Are Asses

Source of the phrase
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)


 * 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)

Karl Rove
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)


 * 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)

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..
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)


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