If there are three parties, no two of which will steadily combine for mutual action, but of which the weakest gives a rapidly oscillating preference to the two others, the primary condition of a Cabinet polity is not satisfied.
Bagehot describes the conditions necessary for a stable cabinet government in a multi-party system.
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More from Walter Bagehot
Carlyle has taught the present generation many lessons, and one of these is that 'God-fearing' armies are the best armies.
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.
One of the greatest pains to human nature is the pain of a new idea.
If those persons be people of different temperaments, different ideas, and different educations, you have an almost infallible security that nothing, or almost nothing, will be done with excessive rapidity.
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