Barriers Quote by Arnold Kling
“Constitutional provisions are not barriers to government misconduct. At best, they can be speed bumps.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Interview on Policy, 2019
Legal rules may limit abuse but often only slow it down, not stop it entirely.
In simple terms: Laws slow but don’t stop misconduct.
Key Takeaway
Recognize limits of formal rules.
Themes
law
government
ethics
Mood
cautious
critical
Type
analytical
political
When to use this quote
- political campaigns
- corporate compliance
- public administration
- activism
Key Concepts
regulation
enforcement
institutional inertia
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we strengthen enforcement?
- What informal checks help?
A Different Perspective
Rules can be circumvented by determined actors.
![“No doctrine involving more pernicious consequences was ever invented by the wit of man than any [constitutional] provisions can be suspended during any of the great exigencies of government.” quote by Roger Brooke Taney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/f29/roger-brooke-taney-72915_consequence_no-doctrine-involving-more-pernicious-co_3016749.jpg)
![“I call this the Fundamental Problem of Political Economy. How do we limit the power that idiots have over us? ... [Milton] Friedmans insight is that a market limits the power that others have over us; conversely, limiting the power that others have over us allows us to have markets. Friedman…” quote by Arnold Kling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/100/arnold-kling-32482_better-job_i-call-this-the-fundamental-problem-of-p_1424862.jpg)
