On the record
They may not do anything definite that a simpler polity would not do better; but they are the preliminaries, the needful prerequisites of ALL work.
Said by
Walter Bagehot
Source
gutenberg.orgWalter Bagehot: “They may not do anything definite that a simpler polity would not do better; but they are the preliminaries, the needful…”
Editor's note · Context
Bagehot argues that while dignified parts of government may seem unnecessary, they are essential prerequisites for effective governance.
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More from Walter Bagehot
He had seen that LEISURE is the great need of early societies, and slaves only can give men leisure.
He gave an excellent moral example to his contemporaries, but he is an instance of those whose good dies with them, while their evil lives after them.
They say, We reject your Bill for this once or these twice, or even these thrice: but if you keep on sending it up, at last we won't reject it.
All savage religions are full of superstitions founded on luck.
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