The world is governed by institutions that are not democratic - the World Bank, the IMF, the WTO. Jose Saramago bankdemocraticgovern Change image and share on social
Can you imagine what Bush would say if someone like Hugo Chavez asked him for a little piece of land to install a military base, and he only wanted to plant a Venezuelan flag there? Jose Saramago askbasebush Change image and share on social
The attitude of insolent haughtiness is characteristic of the relationships Americans form with what is alien to them, with others. Jose Saramago alienamericanattitude Change image and share on social
Perhaps it is the language that chooses the writers it needs, making use of them so that each might express a tiny part of what it is. Jose Saramago chooseexpresslanguage Change image and share on social
Beginning with adolescence, my political formation was oriented in the ideological direction of Marxism. It was natural, being that my thinking was influenced by an atmosphere of active critical resistance. That was the way it was during all of the dictatorship and up to the Revolution of 1974. Jose Saramago activeadolescenceatmosphere share on social
It is economic power that determines political power, and governments become the political functionaries of economic power. Jose Saramago determineeconomicfunctionary Change image and share on social
The wisest man I ever knew in my whole life could not read or write. Jose Saramago knowlifeman Change image and share on social
I am the same person I was before receiving the Nobel Prize. I work with the same regularity, I have not modified my habits, I have the same friends. Jose Saramago friendhabitmodify Change image and share on social
I never appreciated 'positive heroes' in literature. They are almost always cliches, copies of copies, until the model is exhausted. I prefer perplexity, doubt, uncertainty, not just because it provides a more 'productive' literary raw material, but because that is the way we humans really are. Jose Saramago appreciateclichecopy share on social