Quote by Henry James Sumner Maine
It is true that the aristocracies seem to have abused their monopoly of legal knowledge and at all events their exclusive possession of the law was a formidable impediment to the success of those popular movements which began to be universal in the western world.
Summary
This quote recognizes that aristocracies, with their exclusive knowledge and control of the law, often exploited their power and hindered the progress of popular movements that aimed for equality and widespread societal change. By monopolizing legal expertise, they had a significant advantage in suppressing or manipulating these movements, which were becoming more prevalent worldwide. The quote suggests that breaking this monopoly on legal knowledge was crucial for the success of these popular movements and for promoting a fairer society.