Who said “Politics is not the art of the possible. It consists in choosing between the disastrous…”?

Verified

John Kenneth Galbraith. A published source records them saying or writing it.

SourceLetter to John F. Kennedy (2 March 1962), printed in Galbraith's Ambassador's Journal (1969)

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Cite this quote

For academic work, cite the original where you can: Letter to John F. Kennedy (2 March 1962), printed in Galbraith's Ambassador's Journal (1969).

APA

Galbraith, J. K. (n.d.). Politics is not the art of the possible. It consists in choosing between the disastrous and the unpalatable. [Quotation]. Famous Quotations Network. Retrieved October 24, 2026, from https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/29323-politics-is-not-the-art-of-the-possible/

MLA

Galbraith, John Kenneth. “Politics is not the art of the possible. It consists in choosing between the disastrous and the unpalatable.” Famous Quotations Network, https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/29323-politics-is-not-the-art-of-the-possible/. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

Chicago

Galbraith, John Kenneth. “Politics is not the art of the possible. It consists in choosing between the disastrous and the unpalatable.” Famous Quotations Network. Accessed October 24, 2026. https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/29323-politics-is-not-the-art-of-the-possible/.

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