Edmund Burke Quotes

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The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.

Edmund Burke

Inspirational, Wisdom, Witty

330 Copy quote
Those who don't know history are destined to repeat it.

Edmund Burke

Wisdom, Historical, Conservative

157 Copy quote
The hottest fires in hell are reserved for those who remain neutral in times of moral crisis.

Edmund Burke

Motivational, Peace, Fire

151 Copy quote
The essence of tyranny is the enforcement of stupid laws.

Edmund Burke

Stupid, Law, Essence

50 Copy quote
The Fate of good men who refuse to become involved in politics is to be ruled by evil men.

Edmund Burke

Fate, Men, Evil

92 Copy quote
Nobody made a greater mistake than he who did nothing because he could do only a little.

Edmund Burke

Life, Courage, Time

158 Copy quote
When you fear something, learn as much about it as you can. Knowledge conquers fear.

Edmund Burke

Conquer, Conquering Fear

91 Copy quote
Liberty does not exist in the absence of morality.

Edmund Burke

Liberty, Doe, Morality

21 Copy quote
Men are qualified for civil liberty in exact proportion to their disposition to put moral chains upon their own appetites…in proportion as they are more disposed to listen to the counsels of the wise and good, in preference to the flattery of knaves. Society cannot exist, unless a controlling power upon will and appetite be placed somewhere; and the less of it there is within, the more there must be without. It is ordained in the eternal constitution of things, that men of intemperate minds cannot be free. Their passions forge their fetters.

Edmund Burke

Wise, Passion, Men

Letter to a Member of the National Assembly, 1791.

128 Copy quote
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

106 Copy quote
Those who have been once intoxicated with power, and have derived any kind of emolument from it, even though but for one year, never can willingly abandon it. They may be distressed in the midst of all their power; but they will never look to anything but power for their relief.

Edmund Burke

Power, Years, Relief

'Letter to a Member of the National Assembly' (1791) p. 12

115 Copy quote
Silence is golden but when it threatens your freedom it's yellow.

Edmund Burke

Yellow, Silence, Golden

146 Copy quote
History is a pact between the dead, the living, and the yet unborn.

Edmund Burke

Carpe Diem, Pact, Carpe

73 Copy quote
The people never give up their liberties but under some delusion.

Edmund Burke

Wisdom, Freedom, Giving Up

Speech at County Meeting of Buckinghamshire, 1784

45 Copy quote
All that is necessary for evil to succeed is for good men to do nothing as they must if they believe they can do nothing. There is nothing worse because the council of despair is declaration of irresponsibility; it is Pilate washing his hands.

Edmund Burke

Believe, Men, Hands

38 Copy quote
Equity money is dynamic and debt money is static.

Edmund Burke

Debt, Static, Equity

7 Copy quote
Education is a nation's cheapest defence

Edmund Burke

Historical, Defence, Nations

3 Copy quote
The greater the power, the more dangerous the abuse.

Edmund Burke

Bullying, Freedom, Work

Speech on the Middlesex Election, 7 February 1771, in 'The Speeches' (1854)

93 Copy quote
Education is the cheap defense of nations.

Edmund Burke

Education, Defense, Nations

21 Copy quote
Nothing turns out to be so oppressive and unjust as a feeble government.

Edmund Burke

Government, Unjust, Oppressive Governments

Edmund Burke (1912). “Reflections on the French Revolution”, p.235, CUP Archive

56 Copy quote
The grand instructor, time.

Edmund Burke

Wise, Wisdom, Instructors

Edmund Burke (1856). “The Works of the R.H. Edmund Burke”, p.57

3 Copy quote
He that struggles with us strengthens our nerves, and sharpens our skill. Our antagonist is our helper.

Edmund Burke

Inspirational, Life, Education

Reflections on the Revolution in France (1790)

71 Copy quote
You will smile here at the consistency of those democratists who, when they are not on their guard, treat the humbler part of the community with the greatest contempt, whilst, at the same time they pretend to make them the depositories of all power.

Edmund Burke

Community, Consistency, Treats

Edmund Burke (1834). “The Works of the Right Hon. Edmund Burke: With a Biographical and Critical Introduction, and Portrait After Sir Joshua Reynolds”, p.402

13 Copy quote
Evil prevails when good men fail to act.

Edmund Burke

Men, Evil, Good Man

25 Copy quote
History consists, for the greater part, of the miseries brought upon the world by pride, ambition, avarice, revenge, lust, sedition, hypocrisy, ungoverned zeal, and all the train of disorderly appetite.

Edmund Burke

Revenge, Ambition, Pride

Edmund Burke (1868). “Reflections on the Revolution in France and on the Proceedings in Certain Societies in London Relative to that Event: 1790”, p.161

24 Copy quote

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Born: January 12, 1729
Died: July 9, 1797
Occupation: Statesman
Cite this Page: Citation

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