Political Quotes

Edmund Burke: It is a presumption in favor of any settled scheme of government against any untried project, that a nation has long…

On the record
It is a presumption in favor of any settled scheme of government against any untried project, that a nation has long existed and flourished under it.
Said by
Edmund Burke

Editor's note · Context

Burke argues that a long-standing government has a presumption of legitimacy over new, untested ideas.

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