It's an old trick.

No, what's wanted is a powerful party of independent men like you and me.

" "But why so?" Vronsky mentioned a few men who were in power.

"Why aren't they independent men?" "Simply because they have not, or have not had from birth, an independent fortune; they've not had a name, they've not been close to the sun and center as we have.

They can be bought either by money or by favor.