History, in its relentless sobriety, is rarely impressed by eloquent speeches.
Robin George Collingwood, a 20th-century British historian and philosopher, stated that the only reliable clue for assessing what a man can do lies in observing what he has already done. This maxim, seemingly simple, contains a lesson of great intellectual rigor and civic usefulness. In an age when words are often inflated and promises elevated above concrete achievement, Collingwood’s reflection reminds us that History, in its characteristic sobriety, judges men not by the intentions they proclaim, but by the works they actually leave behind.
We are currently living in a time when many wish to be judged by the statements they make rather than by the results they deliver. Such an inversion of standards inevitably leads to the erosion of individual responsibility. Indeed, if intention is enough, standards disappear; if rhetoric replaces action, discipline becomes dispensable. The natural consequence of this logic is the weakening of institutions and the dilution of merit, since it is no longer necessary to prove competence through sustained, concrete action over time.
Experience in business life and civic engagement teaches unequivocally that words acquire legitimacy only when confirmed by persistent action. Companies are not built on well-crafted speeches, but on firm decisions, rigorous management, scrupulous compliance with legal obligations, and the ability to face adversity without yielding to the temptation of shortcuts. Likewise, genuine social commitment is not measured by the eloquence of declared intentions, but by the constancy of support given to the institutions that safeguard order, security, and the common good.
Collingwood’s lesson proves especially relevant when applied to contemporary public life.
All too often, we witness a confusion between media visibility and effective leadership. Popularity is mistaken for authority, emotion for seriousness, promise for real capacity to execute.
Yet authentic authority is built slowly, through a succession of coherent acts, responsibilities assumed, and commitments fulfilled over many years, not through fleeting moments of collective enthusiasm.
This truth also asserts itself clearly at the level of nations. Countries are not judged by the narratives they craft about themselves, but by the strength of their institutions, the security they provide their citizens, the respect they show for the rule of law, and the way they reward merit and effort. Lasting prosperity does not arise from grand proclamations, but from economic discipline, legal stability, and policy continuity that value responsibility, hard work, and individual initiative.
The Portuguese diaspora in the United States offers, in this regard, an illuminating example. The generations who emigrated did not merely profess love of their homeland in sentimental terms; they demonstrated it through hard work, entrepreneurship, respect for the law, and dedication to their children’s education. It was this quiet, steady, and dignified labor that earned respect for the Portuguese-American community. Prestige was not built on rhetorical declarations, but on decades of exemplary conduct and tangible contribution to the society that welcomed them.
Contemporary culture, however, seems to be leaning dangerously toward valuing appearance over substance. The ease with which virtues are proclaimed without being proven through effective action creates an environment conducive to opportunism and mediocrity. When society ceases to demand proof of competence through accomplished work, the door opens to irresponsibility and the discrediting of leadership, since any promise—no matter how empty—can acquire the appearance of legitimacy.
Collingwood’s reflection thus offers a classical and demanding standard for evaluating human character. A serious man should be judged by the consistency of his decisions, by how he keeps his word, by the discipline with which he manages his endeavors, and by the loyalty he shows to family, community, and the institutions that uphold social order. It is not the momentary intensity of intentions that defines the worth of a life, but the sustained coherence between what is said and what is actually done.
If we wish to restore a robust sense of responsibility in our societies, we must return to this elementary yet frequently neglected principle. Less rhetoric and more work. Fewer proclamations and more effective service. Fewer grand promises and more verifiable results. Only then will it be possible to distinguish, with fairness and clarity, between those who merely talk and those who truly build.
History, in its implacable sobriety, is rarely impressed by eloquent speeches or enthusiastically declared intentions. History remembers, above all, those who acted with constancy, courage, and a sense of duty over the course of an entire lifetime. It is in that silent and enduring tribunal that we are ultimately judged—and in light of that judgment, Robin George Collingwood’s maxim remains, even today, undeniably relevant.
César DePaço
Entrepreneur and Philanthropist
Honorary Consul of Portugal (2014–2020)
Founder and CEO, Summit Nutritionals International Inc.®
Founder and Chairman of the Board, DePaço Foundation
Unwavering advocate of Law Enforcement and Conservative Principles