Political Quotes

Edmund Burke: If once a presumption is admitted, that, wherever something is divulged, nothing is hid, the discovering of one offence…

On the record
If once a presumption is admitted, that, wherever something is divulged, nothing is hid, the discovering of one offence may become the certain means of concealing a multitude of others.
Said by
Edmund Burke

Editor's note · Context

Burke warns about the dangers of presuming transparency in governance, suggesting it could lead to greater concealment of wrongdoing.

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