09/04/2007 11:51:02 pm
Clash of Civilisations? A quote from "Just in time: Inside the Thatcher Revolution", by Sir John Hoskins, an advisor at the time at 10 Downing Street:

"Politicians seem to be more accustomed to being given words to say than thoughts to consider. Speeches are part of their everyday lives. Sustained, hard thinking about policy is often less familiar. When they are given ideas, they mistake them for speeches; and , too often, when they make speeches, they believe them to be a substitute for ideas."