Political Quotes

Walter Bagehot: “It creates a set of persons born to work that others may not work, and not to think in order that others may think.”

On the record
It creates a set of persons born to work that others may not work, and not to think in order that others may think.
Said by
Walter Bagehot

Editor's note · Context

Bagehot critiques the nature of slavery, suggesting it creates a class of people who work for the benefit of others without thinking.

Share

More from Walter Bagehot

Subject to this saving remark, however, I not only admit, but maintain, that our Constitution is full of curious oddities, which are impeding and mischievous, and ought to be struck out.

gutenberg.org

The lessons are good where its primitive assumptions hold, but may be false where those assumptions fail.

gutenberg.org

Our law very often reminds one of those outskirts of cities where you cannot for a long time tell how the streets come to wind about in so capricious and serpent-like a manner.

gutenberg.org

The casual line was traced according to the strength of deceased combatants; succeeding generations fought elsewhere; and the hesitating line of a half-drawn battle was left to stand for a perpetual limit.

gutenberg.org

Other voices in this conversation