Edmund Burke Quotes About Democracy

Quotes about: Democracy

• The people never give up their liberties but under some delusion.

  Edmund Burke

  Wisdom, Freedom, Giving Up

  Speech at County Meeting of Buckinghamshire, 1784

• In a democracy, the majority of the citizens is capable of exercising the most cruel oppressions upon the minority.

  Edmund Burke

  Freedom, Exercise, Democracy

  Edmund Burke (1790). “Reflections on the Revolution in France: And on the Proceedings in Certain Societies in London Relative to that Event. In a Letter Intended to Have Been Sent to a Gentleman in Paris”, p.186

• I cannot help concurring with the opinion that an absolute democracy, no more than absolute monarchy, is to be reckoned among the legitimate forms of government.

  Edmund Burke

  Government, Democracy, Helping

  Edmund Burke (1963). “Edmund Burke: Selected Writings and Speeches”, p.583, Transaction Publishers

• In on summer they have done their business... they have completely pulled down to the ground their monarchy, their church, their nobility, their law, their revenue, their army, their navy, their commerce, their arts, and their manufactures... destroyed all balances and counterpoises which serve to fix a state and give it steady direction, and then they melted down the whole into one incongrous mass of mob and democracy... the people, along with their political servitude, have thrown off the yoke of law and morals.

  Edmund Burke

  Summer, Art, Army

• General rebellions and revolts of a whole people never were encouraged now or at any time. They are always provoked.

  Edmund Burke

  Freedom, People, Democracy

  Edmund Burke (1807). “The Works of the Right Honourable Edmund Burke”, p.106

• A perfect democracy is therefore the most shameless thing in the world.

  Edmund Burke

  Perfect, Democracy, World

  'Reflections on the Revolution in France' (1790) p. 139

• In a democracy the majority of citizens is capable of exercising the most cruel oppressions upon the minority...and that oppression of the majority will extend to far great number, and will be carried on with much greater fury, than can almost ever be apprehended from the dominion of a single sceptre. Under a cruel prince they have the plaudits of the people to animate their generous constancy under their sufferings; but those who are subjected to wrong under multitudes are deprived of all external consolation: they seem deserted by mankind, overpowered by a conspiracy of their whole species.

  Edmund Burke

  Exercise, Numbers, People

• Laws, like houses, lean on one another.

  Edmund Burke

  Freedom, Law, House

  'A Tract on the Popery Laws' (planned c.1765) ch. 3, pt. 1 in 'The Works' vol. 5 (1812)

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