Able Men Inside Bad Systems

“It is a central doctrine of Mr. Baruch’s philosophy of life that “able and high-minded” persons can, through force of circumstances, become the instruments of misguided and disastrous passions without ceasing to be able and high-minded. Indeed, it may be proof of their ability and high-mindedness that they should so acquiesce, because it may give them an opportunity unobtrusively to moderate their passions.”

“(Once, in a feat of concision, he distilled this contradiction into a single sentence: “I have unlimited faith in the American people taking care of themselves—if they are told what to do and why.”)”