Political Quotes

Edmund Burke: The dignities of magistracy are encouragements to ambition, with all the black train of villanies which attend that…

On the record
The dignities of magistracy are encouragements to ambition, with all the black train of villanies which attend that wicked passion.
Said by
Edmund Burke

Editor's note · Context

Burke warns about the ambitions associated with positions of power and the moral pitfalls they entail.

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