I feel an insuperable reluctance in giving my hand to destroy any established institution of government, upon a theory, however plausible it may be.
Edmund Burke: “I feel an insuperable reluctance in giving my hand to destroy any established institution of government, upon a theory…”
Editor's note · Context
Burke articulates his deep hesitation to dismantle established institutions based solely on theoretical arguments.
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I would not exclude alteration neither; but even when I changed, it should be to preserve.
I think our happy situation owing to our Constitution,--but owing to the whole of it, and not to any part singly,--owing in a great measure to what we have left standing in our several reviews and reformations, as well as to what we have…
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.
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.





