A great empire and little minds go ill together.
Edmund BurkeRead
A State without the means of some change is without the means of its conservation.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Change is essential for a state to maintain its existence and stability.
This quote by Edmund Burke emphasizes the idea that for any political state to sustain itself, it must possess the capacity to adapt and change. Without the ability to evolve and embrace transformation when necessary, a state risks stagnation and decline, leading to its eventual collapse or irrelevance in a changing world.
Themes
ChangeStateConservationPoliticsAdaptation
In practice
Example use cases
During a political debate on governance, this quote can be used to highlight the importance of adaptation in policy-making.
More from Edmund Burke
All quotes βTo read without reflecting is like eating without digesting.
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Flattery corrupts both the receiver and the giver.
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The hottest fires in hell are reserved for those who remain neutral in times of moral crisis.
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Society can overlook murder, adultery or swindling; it never forgives preaching of a new gospel.
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The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.
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