Causes thus powerful to acquire and to retain cannot be found in discouraged industry, insecure property, and a positively destructive government.
Edmund Burke: “Causes thus powerful to acquire and to retain cannot be found in discouraged industry, insecure property, and a…”
Editor's note · Context
From his critique of the French Revolution, Burke argues that a nation's wealth accumulation disproves claims of its government being utterly destructive.
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This idea of a liberal descent inspires us with a sense of habitual native dignity, which prevents that upstart insolence almost inevitably adhering to and disgracing those who are the first acquirers of any distinction.
By adhering in this manner and on those principles to our forefathers, we are guided, not by the superstition of antiquarians, but by the spirit of philosophic analogy.
As he is not to obey us, but we are to obey the law in him, our Constitution has made no sort of provision towards rendering him, as a servant, in any degree responsible.
But supposing they had ranked as they ought to do, and as with us they do actually, the sides of sick-beds are not the academies for forming statesmen and legislators.





