Political Quotes

Thomas Paine: It cannot be ingrafted on a good one; and wherever the forms in any government are bad, it is a certain indication that…

On the recordJanuary 1, 1791
It cannot be ingrafted on a good one; and wherever the forms in any government are bad, it is a certain indication that the principles are bad also.
Said by
Thomas Paine

Editor's note · Context

In "Rights of Man," Paine contends that bad governmental forms cannot be built upon good principles, indicating that flawed structures reveal flawed underlying principles.

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