You may fool all the people some of the time; you can even fool some of the people all the time; but you can’t fool all of the people all the time.

The saying expresses a democratic faith in the long-run discernment of the public: deception can succeed intermittently or with a subset of people, but sustained, universal fraud is impossible. It is often invoked in political contexts as a warning that propaganda and manipulation eventually collapse under the weight of facts, experience, and competing testimony. The line’s enduring appeal lies in its neat triadic structure and its moral reassurance that truth has cumulative power over time. Even so, the quote’s popularity can obscure a harder implication: while total deception is unlikely, partial deception can be effective—and therefore vigilance, free inquiry, and accountability remain necessary.

1) "You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you cannot fool all of the people all of the time."
2) "You may fool all the people some of the time and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time."