"Among a people generally corrupt liberty cannot long exist"

This quote by Edmund Burke suggests that a society can not keep its liberty if its residents are normally corrupt. Burke indicates that a society must have a specific level of morality and stability in order for its people to be able to enjoy the benefits of liberty. He suggests that if the majority of individuals in a society are corrupt, then the society will ultimately succumb to tyranny and oppression. This is because a corrupt society is more likely to be made the most of by those in power, and the citizens will be not able to protect their own rights and freedoms. Burke's quote acts as a cautioning to citizens to be conscious of their own morality and to aim to preserve a level of stability in order to ensure the conservation of their liberty.