Last, and, worst, who could endure to hear this unnatural, insolent, and savage despotism called liberty?
Edmund Burke: “Last, and, worst, who could endure to hear this unnatural, insolent, and savage despotism called liberty?”
Editor's note · Context
Burke critiques the use of the term 'liberty' to describe oppressive regimes.
Share
More from Edmund Burke
But when the leaders choose to make themselves bidders at an auction of popularity, their talents, in the construction of the state, will be of no service.
If any of them should happen to propose a scheme of liberty soberly limited, and defined with proper qualifications, he will be immediately outbid by his competitors, who will produce something more splendidly popular.
Whatever they are, I wish my countrymen rather to recommend to our neighbors the example of the British Constitution than to take models from them for the improvement of our own.
I would not exclude alteration neither; but even when I changed, it should be to preserve.





