Quote by Thomas Babington Macaulay

And to say that society ought to be governed by the opinion of the wisest and best, though true, is useless. Whose opinion is to decide who are the wisest and best?

And to say that society ought to be governed by the opinion

Summary

This quote questions the practicality of suggesting that society should be governed by the opinions of the wisest and best individuals. While acknowledging the truth in this idea, it raises the issue of determining who qualifies as the wisest and best, as such a subjective decision lacks consensus. The quote challenges the notion by highlighting the difficulty in establishing a fair and universally accepted authority to decide on those qualifications, rendering the idea impractical in the context of societal governance.

Topics

Society

By Thomas Babington Macaulay

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