Since a politician never believes what he says, he is quite

Charles de Gaulle, warrior of France and prophet of her destiny, once spoke with sharp irony: “Since a politician never believes what he says, he is quite surprised to be taken at his word.” In this jest, cloaked with laughter, lies the deep cynicism born of long years in the trenches of power. De Gaulle saw that the tongue of the politician is often loosened not by truth but by expediency, that promises are minted cheaply, and that words are wielded less as bonds of honor than as instruments of persuasion.

The origin of this wisdom comes from de Gaulle’s own struggles with political life. He, a soldier who valued discipline and clarity, grew weary of the double-talk of parliaments and assemblies. To him, the common politician was shocked when citizens or rivals held him accountable, for he himself had never placed faith in his own words. Thus, de Gaulle unveiled a paradox: the politician who speaks to persuade, not to believe, forgets that words, once spoken, take on a life of their own.

History offers us many proofs. Consider Napoleon III, who promised liberty to the French Republic, only to dissolve the Assembly and crown himself Emperor. He had not believed his earlier words of democracy, yet when the people remembered them, they saw betrayal. His surprise at their outrage reflects de Gaulle’s point: the politician may treat words as air, but to the people, they are stone. When the stones crumble, the edifice of trust collapses.

So too in modern times, the tale of Woodrow Wilson stands as an echo. He proclaimed to the world his Fourteen Points, pledging a peace without victors. Yet at Versailles, the politics of power smothered his ideals. When nations recalled his lofty promises and demanded their fulfillment, he found himself trapped by his own rhetoric. His surprise was not unlike the one de Gaulle mocked: that people believed him more than he believed himself.

Therefore, O children of the future, mark this lesson well. Words spoken by leaders must be weighed not only for their eloquence, but for the faith that lies behind them. A politician may not believe his promises, but the people, hungry for hope, may take them as covenant. And when they do, woe unto the leader who forgets, for he will reap not applause, but judgment. For in the realm of politics, false words are arrows that return to pierce the archer.