"Kings will be tyrants from policy, when subjects are rebels from principle"
- Edmund Burke
About this Quote
This quote by Edmund Burke recommends that when people in positions of power, such as kings, act tyrannically, it is typically an outcome of their policy. On the other hand, when individuals in positions of lesser power, such as subjects, rebel, it is typically a result of their concepts. Burke is recommending that the motivations behind the actions of those in power and those in lower positions are frequently various. The kings are inspired by policy, while the topics are motivated by concept. This quote indicates that those in power are often more worried with their own interests than with the interests of those they govern. It likewise suggests that those in lesser positions are typically more worried with their own concepts than with the interests of those in power. Burke's quote is a tip that those in power must be mindful of the interests of those they govern, and those in lesser positions must be mindful of the interests of those in power.
"A test of a people is how it behaves toward the old. It is easy to love children. Even tyrants and dictators make a point of being fond of children. But the affection and care for the old, the incurable, the helpless are the true gold mines of a culture"
