35. Philosophers of government ever since Plato have devoted their thinking to the major issues of ethics, sovereignty, the social contract, the rights of man, the corruption of power, the balance between freedom and order.
(1) Few-- except Machiavelli, who was concerned with government as it is, not as it should be--bothered with mere folly, although this has been a chronic and pervasive problem. (2) "Know, my son," said a dying Swedish statesman in the seventh century, "with how little wisdom the world is governed." (3) More recently, Woodrow Wilson warned, "In public affairs, stupidity is more dangerous than knavery." (4) Stupidity is not related to type of regime; monarchy, oligarchy, and democracy produce it equally.
(A) insert the sentence before (1)
(B) insert the sentence before (2)
(C) insert the sentence before (3)
(D) insert the sentence before (4)