Pareto argues that a group seeking to replace an established elite is unlikely to attract broad support if it openly presents its objective as acquiring power for itself. Instead, in his account, the aspiring elite presents its cause in terms that can appeal to a wider constituency while leaving its own prospective gains unstated.

The passage forms part of Pareto’s wider theory of elite competition. He treats political mobilisation as a process in which groups seeking power require allies and persuasive public justifications. Victory then gives the successful group opportunities and influence that it did not need to demand explicitly beforehand.

The quotation expresses Pareto’s interpretation of political behaviour rather than a general rule about the motives of every movement or leader. It is useful for examining the relationship between declared political aims, coalition-building and competition for positions of power.