"A disposition to preserve, and an ability to improve, taken together, would be my standard of a statesman"
- Edmund Burke
About this Quote
Edmund Burke's quote speaks with the importance of a statesman having both the ability to protect and the capability to enhance. Burke suggests that a statesman should have a disposition to preserve the existing order and the capability to surpass it. This indicates that a statesman should be able to recognize the value of the existing order and be able to identify locations for improvement. Burke's quote suggests that a statesman must have the ability to recognize the significance of tradition and the requirement for progress. A statesman should have the ability to recognize the significance of protecting the existing order while likewise being able to determine locations for enhancement. Burke's quote recommends that a statesman needs to have the ability to recognize the importance of both preserving and improving the existing order. This suggests that a statesman must have the ability to acknowledge the value of custom and the requirement for development. Burke's quote recommends that a statesman should be able to recognize the value of both preserving and improving the existing order in order to achieve success.
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