Walter Bagehot: “The lessons are good where its primitive assumptions hold, but may be…”

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The lessons are good where its primitive assumptions hold, but may be false where those assumptions fail.

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Walter Bagehot

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Bagehot points out that while political lessons can be valuable, they may not apply universally due to flawed assumptions.

More from Walter Bagehot

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

The progress of the military art is the most conspicuous, I was about to say the most SHOWY, fact in human history.

All savage religions are full of superstitions founded on luck.

One of the greatest pains to human nature is the pain of a new idea.

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Walter Bagehot: “The lessons are good where its primitive assumptions hold, but may be false where those assumptions fail.”