Edmund Burke Quote

"But what is liberty without wisdom, and without virtue? It is the greatest of all possible evils; for it is folly, vice, and madness, without tuition or restraint."

by:	Edmund Burke (1729-1797) Irish-born British statesman, parliamentary orator, and political thinker
Source:	Reflections on the Revolution in France
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Categories:	Liberty, Restraint, Vice, Virtue, Wisdom
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-- Waffler, Smith
The wisdom of Liberty should be taught in schools...it isn't. The virtue of Liberty should be taught by parents...who are too busy paying taxes. The restraint of Liberty should come from a Court system of Justice...we don't have one. No wonder some people are afraid of the concept.  -- J Carlton, Calgary      1
Not only is Liberty not taught in schools, the kids are now singing praises to our annointed leader. By the way, check out HR 45 which will,if passed, effectively dis arm the people of this country. The rats never stop gnawing away at our freedoms.  -- jim k, Austin      1
great sentiment J Carlton and jim  -- Mike, Norwalk      1
Liberty demands moral responsibility - virtue based upon the code of the 10 commandments - or folks will quickly become shackled to vices, wander in bewilderment, and tempt anarchy to enslave them and invite foreign aggression. God set Israel free from Egypt to serve Him, but they chose to instead become slaves to their passions and returned to bondage.  -- David Ben-Ariel, Toledo
Wow! Very insightful. Nice comments, too.  -- Elisabeth, Astoria, NY      1
Carlton misses the mark again by ignoring the quote that says liberty must be tempered or taken along with Wisdom and Virtue and he bastardizes the quote into something about "the wisdom of Liberty and the virtue of liberty" that is not what the quote is saying at all. Sounds like Carlton has been studying the Limbaugh school of BS. And Mike chimes in with "great sentiment". What a bunch of intellectual losers you guys really are!  -- Waffler, Smith      1
I understand you're point Waffler...you are a Socialist of the highest order and must be taken as such. Whereas it seems the rest of us actually hold "American" values dear. I've bastardized nothing and you should look in a mirror for a more precise definition of bastardization.  -- J Carlton, Calgary      1
perfect!  -- abigail, hb
Ah, but what is 'wisdom' and 'virtue'?! Are we born with them or are they to be acquired? If we are not born with wisdom, then we must learn how to be free. If we are born with virtue, then we must learn how to keep it. Great sentiment, but open to a great many variations of interpretation.  -- E Archer, NYC      1
Granted J I may have used a wrong word. But you certainly twisted the words and the logic of the quote. Sadly you do not even know it.  -- Waffler, Smith      1
Starting with what “liberty” is; “The power of acting as one thinks fit, without any restraint or control, except from the laws of nature.” (Bouvier’s Law Dictionary) Wisdom and virtue are law of nature pillars in acting as one thinks fit - to morally act with integrity / not reacting or being acted upon.  -- Mike, Norwalk      1

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