Political Quotes

Walter Bagehot: The Presidential Government, by its nature, divides political life into two halves, an executive half and a legislative…

On the record
The Presidential Government, by its nature, divides political life into two halves, an executive half and a legislative half; and, by so dividing it, makes neither half worth a man's having--worth his making it a continuous career--worthy to absorb, as Cabinet government absorbs, his whole soul.
Said by
Walter Bagehot

Editor's note · Context

Bagehot discusses the inherent division in presidential government and its impact on political careers.

Share

More from Walter Bagehot

I do not think I put this too high when I say that a most important if not the most important object of early legislation was the enforcement of LUCKY rites.

gutenberg.org

But as soon as the House met, Lord Thurlow became the greatest.

gutenberg.org

We have thus a whole group of ancient republics of non-Aryan race, and one which, being more ancient than the classical republics, could not have borrowed from or imitated them.

gutenberg.org

And again, in political matters, how quickly a leading statesman can change the tone of the community!

gutenberg.org

Other voices in this conversation