Walter Bagehot: “There are doubtless debates in the legislature, but they are prologues…”

On the record

There are doubtless debates in the legislature, but they are prologues without a play.

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Walter Bagehot

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Bagehot describes legislative debates as lacking substance and significance in certain contexts.

More from Walter Bagehot

In early society, originality in life was forbidden and repressed by the fixed rule of life.

Perhaps such powers as these are what a wise man would most seek to exercise and least fear to possess.

The whole history of civilisation, is strewn with creeds and institutions which were invaluable at first, and deadly afterwards.

The Parliament, the laws, the press were human institutions; but the Monarchy was a Divine institution.

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Walter Bagehot: “There are doubtless debates in the legislature, but they are prologues without a play.”