"In effect, to follow, not to force the public inclination; to give a direction, a form, a technical dress, and a specific sanction, to the general sense of the community, is the true end of legislature"
- Edmund Burke
About this Quote
This quote by Edmund Burke speaks to the role of legislature in a society. He suggests that the function of legislature is to follow the general public inclination, rather than to force it. This implies that the legislature must be responsive to the requirements and desires of individuals, and need to not enforce its own will on them. The legislature should also supply a kind and technical gown to the basic sense of the neighborhood, offering it a particular sanction. To put it simply, the legislature must supply a structure and legal structure for the public's wishes, so that they can be implemented in a manner that is both reliable and legitimate. This quote stresses the value of the legislature in a democratic society, as it is accountable for offering the public's wishes a kind and a legal standing.
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