Sayre's Law
Encyclopedia
Sayre's law states, in a formulation quoted by Charles Philip Issawi
: "In any dispute the intensity of feeling is inversely proportional to the value of the issues at stake." By way of corollary, it adds: "That is why academic politics are so bitter." Sayre's law is named after Wallace Stanley Sayre (1905-1972), U.S. political scientist and professor at Columbia University
.
, a colleague and coauthor of Sayre, has attested to Fred R. Shapiro, editor of The Yale Book of Quotations, that Sayre usually stated his claim as "The politics of the university are so intense because the stakes are so low", and that Sayre originated the quip by the early 1950s.
Many other claimants attach to the thought behind Sayre's law. The bitterness of academic life was memorably noted by Max Weber
:
According to Arthur S. Link
, Woodrow Wilson
frequently complained about the personalized nature of academic politics, asserting that the "intensity" of academic squabbles was a function of the "triviality" of the issue at hand. Harvard political scientist Richard Neustadt
was quoted to a similar effect: "Academic politics is much more vicious than real politics. We think it's because the stakes are so small." In his 1979 book Peter's People and Their Marvelous Ideas, Laurence J. Peter
stated "Peter's Theory of Entrepreneurial Aggressiveness in Higher Education" as: "Competition in academia is so vicious because the stakes are so small." Another proverbial form is: "Academic politics are so vicious precisely because the stakes are so small." This observation is routinely attributed to former Harvard professor Henry Kissinger
. Justin Kaplan, editor of Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, asked Henry Kissinger whether he had stated, "The reason academic politics are so bitter is that so little is at stake." According to him, Kissinger, "foxy as ever, said he didn't recall saying it but that it 'sounded' like him. In other words, he didn't say it but wouldn't mind if we thought he did." In fact, in a 1997 speech at the Ashbrook Center for Public Affairs
at Ashland University
, Kissinger said: "I'm going to say one thing about academic politics to which Mr. [Peter W.] Schramm referred. I formulated the rule that the intensity of academic politics and the bitterness of it is in inverse proportion to the importance of the subject they're discussing. And I promise you at Harvard, they are passionately intense and the subjects are extremely unimportant." Variations on the same thought have also been attributed to scientist-author C.P. Snow, professor-politician Daniel Patrick Moynihan
, and politician Jesse Unruh.
is often referred to as the second biggest executive office in the country, that U.S. Representative
is the highest previous political office held by any incumbent, and that no New York mayor
ever went on to other high domestic public office after leaving the mayoralty, Wallace Sayre declared: "The mayors of New York come from nowhere and go nowhere." He also remarked: "Generally speaking, the benefits of administrative reorganization are immediate, but the costs are cumulative." Likewise this postulate: "Business and public administration are alike only in all unimportant respects."
Charles Issawi
Charles Issawi was a prominent academic economist and historian of the Middle East at Columbia University and Princeton University in the United States. Roger Owen, the A. J...
: "In any dispute the intensity of feeling is inversely proportional to the value of the issues at stake." By way of corollary, it adds: "That is why academic politics are so bitter." Sayre's law is named after Wallace Stanley Sayre (1905-1972), U.S. political scientist and professor at Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
.
History
On 20 December 1973, the Wall Street Journal quoted Sayre as: "Academic politics is the most vicious and bitter form of politics, because the stakes are so low." Political scientist Herbert KaufmanHerbert Kaufman
Herbert Kaufman was an American writer and newspaperman whose editorials were widely syndicated in both the United States and Canada...
, a colleague and coauthor of Sayre, has attested to Fred R. Shapiro, editor of The Yale Book of Quotations, that Sayre usually stated his claim as "The politics of the university are so intense because the stakes are so low", and that Sayre originated the quip by the early 1950s.
Many other claimants attach to the thought behind Sayre's law. The bitterness of academic life was memorably noted by Max Weber
Max Weber
Karl Emil Maximilian "Max" Weber was a German sociologist and political economist who profoundly influenced social theory, social research, and the discipline of sociology itself...
:
According to Arthur S. Link
Arthur S. Link
Arthur S. Link was a leading American historian and a scholarly authority on Woodrow Wilson.-Biography:Born in New Market, Virginia, to a German Lutheran family, he graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he received a B.A. in 1941 and a Ph.D. in 1945...
, Woodrow Wilson
Woodrow Wilson
Thomas Woodrow Wilson was the 28th President of the United States, from 1913 to 1921. A leader of the Progressive Movement, he served as President of Princeton University from 1902 to 1910, and then as the Governor of New Jersey from 1911 to 1913...
frequently complained about the personalized nature of academic politics, asserting that the "intensity" of academic squabbles was a function of the "triviality" of the issue at hand. Harvard political scientist Richard Neustadt
Richard Neustadt
Richard Elliott Neustadt was an American political scientist specializing in the United States presidency. He also served as advisor to several presidents.-Biography:...
was quoted to a similar effect: "Academic politics is much more vicious than real politics. We think it's because the stakes are so small." In his 1979 book Peter's People and Their Marvelous Ideas, Laurence J. Peter
Laurence J. Peter
Dr. Laurence Johnston Peter was an educator and "hierarchiologist", best known to the general public for the formulation of the Peter Principle....
stated "Peter's Theory of Entrepreneurial Aggressiveness in Higher Education" as: "Competition in academia is so vicious because the stakes are so small." Another proverbial form is: "Academic politics are so vicious precisely because the stakes are so small." This observation is routinely attributed to former Harvard professor Henry Kissinger
Henry Kissinger
Heinz Alfred "Henry" Kissinger is a German-born American academic, political scientist, diplomat, and businessman. He is a recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize. He served as National Security Advisor and later concurrently as Secretary of State in the administrations of Presidents Richard Nixon and...
. Justin Kaplan, editor of Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, asked Henry Kissinger whether he had stated, "The reason academic politics are so bitter is that so little is at stake." According to him, Kissinger, "foxy as ever, said he didn't recall saying it but that it 'sounded' like him. In other words, he didn't say it but wouldn't mind if we thought he did." In fact, in a 1997 speech at the Ashbrook Center for Public Affairs
Ashbrook Center for Public Affairs
The Ashbrook Center for Public Affairs is a conservative academic center at Ashland University in Ashland, Ohio, dedicated by Ronald Reagan on May 9, 1983.It is named for the late Congressman John M...
at Ashland University
Ashland University
Ashland University is a mid-sized, private, non-profit university that is located in Ashland, Ohio.The University offers 73 undergraduate majors and nine pre-professional programs. The majors include toxicology/environmental science and entrepreneurship, which are unusual for an institution of its...
, Kissinger said: "I'm going to say one thing about academic politics to which Mr. [Peter W.] Schramm referred. I formulated the rule that the intensity of academic politics and the bitterness of it is in inverse proportion to the importance of the subject they're discussing. And I promise you at Harvard, they are passionately intense and the subjects are extremely unimportant." Variations on the same thought have also been attributed to scientist-author C.P. Snow, professor-politician Daniel Patrick Moynihan
Daniel Patrick Moynihan
Daniel Patrick "Pat" Moynihan was an American politician and sociologist. A member of the Democratic Party, he was first elected to the United States Senate for New York in 1976, and was re-elected three times . He declined to run for re-election in 2000...
, and politician Jesse Unruh.
Other adages by Sayre
Observing that the mayoralty of New YorkNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
is often referred to as the second biggest executive office in the country, that U.S. Representative
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
is the highest previous political office held by any incumbent, and that no New York mayor
Mayor of New York City
The Mayor of the City of New York is head of the executive branch of New York City's government. The mayor's office administers all city services, public property, police and fire protection, most public agencies, and enforces all city and state laws within New York City.The budget overseen by the...
ever went on to other high domestic public office after leaving the mayoralty, Wallace Sayre declared: "The mayors of New York come from nowhere and go nowhere." He also remarked: "Generally speaking, the benefits of administrative reorganization are immediate, but the costs are cumulative." Likewise this postulate: "Business and public administration are alike only in all unimportant respects."