On the record
The rule of Parliament was established by the concurrence of the usual supporters of royalty with the usual opponents of it.
Said by
Walter Bagehot
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gutenberg.orgWalter Bagehot: “The rule of Parliament was established by the concurrence of the usual supporters of royalty with the usual opponents of…”
Editor's note · Context
Bagehot explains how the establishment of parliamentary rule was a collaborative effort between traditional supporters and opponents of monarchy.
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More from Walter Bagehot
Just so the lines of our Constitution were framed in old eras of sparse population, few wants, and simple habits; and we adhere in seeming to their shape, though civilisation has come with its dangers, complications, and enjoyments.
Our law very often reminds one of those outskirts of cities where you cannot for a long time tell how the streets come to wind about in so capricious and serpent-like a manner.
The lessons are good where its primitive assumptions hold, but may be false where those assumptions fail.
But it is natural also that persons used to analyse political institutions should look at these anomalies with a little tenderness and a little interest.
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