Edmund Burke
Edmund Burke
Edmund Burkewas an Irish statesman born in Dublin, as well as an author, orator, political theorist, and philosopher who, after moving to London, served as a member of parliamentfor many years in the House of Commons with the Whig Party...
NationalityIrish
ProfessionPolitician
Date of Birth12 January 1729
CountryIreland
letting-go powerful reflection
To give freedom is still more easy. It is not necessary to guide; it only requires to let go the rein. But to form a free government; that is, to temper together these opposite elements of liberty and restraint in one work, requires much thought, deep reflection, a sagacious, powerful, and combining mind.
bad good men sacrifice struggle
When bad men combine, the good must associate; else they will fall, one by one, an unpitied sacrifice in a contemptible struggle
chains exact liberty moral proportion qualified
What is liberty without...virtue? It is...madness, without restraint.Men are qualified for liberty in exact proportion to their dispositionto put moral chains upon their own appetites.
anxious confident despised ruined security
Better to be despised for too anxious apprehensions, than be ruined by too confident a security
change means state
A state without some means of change is without the means of its conservation
antagonist nerves
He that wrestles with us strengthens our nerves and sharpens our skill. Our antagonist in our helper.
backward confined generally people result spirit temper
A spirit of innovation is generally the result of a selfish temper and confined views. People will not look forward to posterity, who never look backward to their ancestors.
bullying freedom work
The greater the power, the more dangerous the abuse.
government unjust oppressive-governments
Nothing turns out to be so oppressive and unjust as a feeble government.
above chains civil exact justice liberties love men moral proportion qualified
Men are qualified for civil liberties in exact proportion to their disposition to put moral chains upon their appetites: in proportion as their love of justice is above their rapacity
courage greater mistake nobody
Nobody makes a greater mistake than he who does nothing because he could only do a little
exalted general opinion paper virtue
I have in general no very exalted opinion of the virtue of paper government.
cannot king somebody
Somebody has said, that a king may make a nobleman, but he cannot make a gentleman.
admiration happiness
She is not made to be the admiration of all, but the happiness of one