--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Customs may not be as wise as laws, but…" description: "\"Customs may not be as wise as laws, but they are always more popular\" — Benjamin Disraeli" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea3/benjamin-disraeli-390_customs_customs-may-not-be-as-wise-as-laws-but-t_1670712.png" --- # Customs may not be as wise as laws, but they are always… ![“Customs may not be as wise as laws, but they are always more popular” quote by Benjamin Disraeli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea3/benjamin-disraeli-390_customs_customs-may-not-be-as-wise-as-laws-but-t_1670712.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea3/benjamin-disraeli-390_customs_customs-may-not-be-as-wise-as-laws-but-t_1670712.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea3/benjamin-disraeli-390_customs_customs-may-not-be-as-wise-as-laws-but-t_1670712.png) > “Customs may not be as wise as laws, but they are always more popular” [Benjamin Disraeli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-disraeli/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Customs are unpopular but often more accepted than formal laws, reflecting popular sentiment over legal rigor. **In simple terms:** Customs are popular, laws are not. Key Takeaway Consider public opinion when shaping policy. Themes law public opinion customs politics Mood reflective critical Type political philosophical When to use this quote - policy drafting - public campaigns - community negotiations Key Concepts Social contract legitimacy cultural norms Questions to Reflect On - How can laws reflect popular customs without compromising rights? - When should tradition yield to reform? A Different Perspective Popular customs may conflict with justice. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Customs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/customs/) [Customs Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/customs-wise-856398/) [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [Laws](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laws/) [Laws Popular](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laws-popular-856397/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [Popular](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/popular/) [Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wise/) [Wise Laws](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wise-laws-856399/) ## Related quotes > [We should scarcely be excused in concluding this essay without calling the reader's attention to the beneficent and wise laws established by the author…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dalton/we-should-scarcely-be-excused-in-concluding-this-essay-without/) [John Dalton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dalton/) > [When a people, having become free, establish wise laws, their revolution is complete.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-antoine-de-saint-just/when-a-people-having-become-free-establish-wise-laws-their-revolution-2/) [Louis Antoine de Saint-Just](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-antoine-de-saint-just/) > [When a people, having become free, establish wise laws, their revolution is complete... Peace and prosperity, public virtue, victory, everything is in the vigor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-antoine-de-saint-just/when-a-people-having-become-free-establish-wise-laws-their-revolution/) [Louis Antoine de Saint-Just](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-antoine-de-saint-just/) > [You can have no wise laws nor free enforcement of wise laws unless there is free expression of the wisdom of the people --…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-allen-white/you-can-have-no-wise-laws-nor-free-enforcement-of-wise-laws-unless/) [William Allen White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-allen-white/) > [Wise laws and just restraints are to a noble nation not chains, but chains of mail, -- strength and defense, though something of an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/wise-laws-and-just-restraints-are-to-a-noble-nation-not-chains-but/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [I am saying that while popular culture usually portrays practitioners of magic as separate from ordinary people, often biologically different, many people have habits…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-liss/i-am-saying-that-while-popular-culture-usually-portrays-practitioners/) [David Liss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-liss/) > [In America, law substitutes for custom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-gunn-allen/in-america-law-substitutes-for-custom/) [Paula Gunn Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-gunn-allen/) > [The Greeks adored their gods by the simple compliment of kissing their hands; and the Romans were treated as atheists if they would not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-disraeli/the-greeks-adored-their-gods-by-the-simple-compliment-of-kissing/) [Benjamin Disraeli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-disraeli/) > [The Foreign Office works hard to remind people of local laws and customs as often they can be very different to British law.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lidington/the-foreign-office-works-hard-to-remind-people-of-local-laws-and/) [David Lidington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lidington/) > [The law is an adroit mixture of customs that are beneficial to society, and could be followed even if no law existed, and others…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-kropotkin/the-law-is-an-adroit-mixture-of-customs-that-are-beneficial-to/) [Peter Kropotkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-kropotkin/) > [Laws gain their authority from actual possession and custom: it is perilous to go back to their origins; laws, like our rivers, get greater…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/laws-gain-their-authority-from-actual-possession-and-custom-it-is/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [The tone and tendency of liberalism...is to attack the institutions of the country under the name of reform and to make war on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-disraeli/the-tone-and-tendency-of-liberalism-is-to-attack-the-institutions-of/) [Benjamin Disraeli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-disraeli/) > [I was never looking to be popular. The trade-off for me in seeking other people's opinions is the potential to help that you get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-cuomo/i-was-never-looking-to-be-popular-the-trade-off-for-me-in-seeking/) [Chris Cuomo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-cuomo/) > [I remain, however, fairly optimistic for the future of period drama because it's just such a popular thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-davies/i-remain-however-fairly-optimistic-for-the-future-of-period-drama/) [Andrew Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-davies/) > [“As we look over the list of the early leaders of the republic, Washington, John Adams, Hamilton, and others, we discern that they were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-truslow-adams/as-we-look-over-the-list-of-the-early-leaders-of-the-republic/) [James Truslow Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-truslow-adams/) ## More by Benjamin Disraeli > [Next to the assumption of power was the responsibility of relinquishing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-disraeli/next-to-the-assumption-of-power-was-the-responsibility-of/) [Benjamin Disraeli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-disraeli/) > [We make our fortunes and we call them fate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-disraeli/we-make-our-fortunes-and-we-call-them-fate/) [Benjamin Disraeli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-disraeli/) > [The European talks of progress because by the aid of a few scientific discoveries he has established a society which has mistaken comfort for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-disraeli/the-european-talks-of-progress-because-by-the-aid-of-a-few-scientific/) [Benjamin Disraeli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-disraeli/) > [It shows you exactly how a star is formed; nothing else can be so pretty! A cluster of vapor, the cream of the milky…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-disraeli/it-shows-you-exactly-how-a-star-is-formed-nothing-else-can-be-so/) [Benjamin Disraeli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-disraeli/) > [Terror has its inspiration, as well as competition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-disraeli/terror-has-its-inspiration-as-well-as-competition/) [Benjamin Disraeli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-disraeli/) > [I am prepared for the worst, but hope for the best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-disraeli/i-am-prepared-for-the-worst-but-hope-for-the-best/) [Benjamin Disraeli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-disraeli/) > [Religion should be the rule of life, not a casual incident in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-disraeli/religion-should-be-the-rule-of-life-not-a-casual-incident-in-it/) [Benjamin Disraeli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-disraeli/) > [Frank and explicit - that is the right line to take when you wish to conceal your own mind and confuse the minds of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-disraeli/frank-and-explicit-that-is-the-right-line-to-take-when-you-wish-to/) [Benjamin Disraeli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-disraeli/) > [I was told that the privileged and the people formed two nations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-disraeli/i-was-told-that-the-privileged-and-the-people-formed-two-nations/) [Benjamin Disraeli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-disraeli/) > [The praise of a fool is incense to the wisest of us . . .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-disraeli/the-praise-of-a-fool-is-incense-to-the-wisest-of-us/) [Benjamin Disraeli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-disraeli/) > [Expediency is a law of nature. The camel is a wonderful animal, but the desert made the camel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-disraeli/expediency-is-a-law-of-nature-the-camel-is-a-wonderful-animal-but-the/) [Benjamin Disraeli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-disraeli/) > [Is man an ape or an angel? Now I am on the side of the angels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-disraeli/is-man-an-ape-or-an-angel-now-i-am-on-the-side-of-the-angels/) [Benjamin Disraeli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-disraeli/) > [Real politics are the possession and distribution of power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-disraeli/real-politics-are-the-possession-and-distribution-of-power/) [Benjamin Disraeli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-disraeli/) > [Desperation is sometimes as powerful an inspirer as genius.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-disraeli/desperation-is-sometimes-as-powerful-an-inspirer-as-genius/) [Benjamin Disraeli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-disraeli/) > [Why, I say, that to tax the community for the advantage of a class is not protection; it is plunder, and I entirely disclaim…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-disraeli/why-i-say-that-to-tax-the-community-for-the-advantage-of-a-class-is/) [Benjamin Disraeli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-disraeli/) [Explore all 603 Benjamin Disraeli quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-disraeli/) ## More Customs quotes > [Be neither too early in the fashion, nor too long out of it, nor too precisely in it; what custom hath civilized is become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-quarles/be-neither-too-early-in-the-fashion-nor-too-long-out-of-it-nor-too/) [Francis Quarles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-quarles/) > [What is philosophy but a continual battle against custom?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/what-is-philosophy-but-a-continual-battle-against-custom/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [In reality no food is valued solely for its nutritive power and no garment or house solely for the protection it affords against cold…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/in-reality-no-food-is-valued-solely-for-its-nutritive-power-and-no/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [Often a quite assified remark becomes sanctified by use and petrified by custom; it is then a permanency, its term of activity a geologic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/often-a-quite-assified-remark-becomes-sanctified-by-use-and-petrified/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [Since custom is the principal magistrate of man's life, let men by all means endeavor to obtain good customs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/since-custom-is-the-principal-magistrate-of-man-s-life-let-men-by-all/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [To me the female principle is, or at least historically has been, basically anarchic. It values order without constraint, rule by custom not by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-k-le-guin/to-me-the-female-principle-is-or-at-least-historically-has-been/) [Ursula K. Le Guin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-k-le-guin/) > [There will be no lasting peace either in the heart of individuals or in social customs until death is outlawed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/there-will-be-no-lasting-peace-either-in-the-heart-of-individuals-or/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [The strongest reason for giving woman all the opportunities of higher education, for the full development of her faculties, forces of mind and body;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-cady-stanton/the-strongest-reason-for-giving-woman-all-the-opportunities-of-higher/) [Elizabeth Cady Stanton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-cady-stanton/) > [Society everywhere is in conspiracy against the manhood of every one of its members. The virtue in most request is conformity. Self-reliance is its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/society-everywhere-is-in-conspiracy-against-the-manhood-of-every-one/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [He that would travel for the entertainment of others, should remember that the great object of remark is human life. Every nation has something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/he-that-would-travel-for-the-entertainment-of-others-should-remember/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [It is necessary to obey a Pope in all things as long as he does not go against the universal customs of the Church,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-innocent-iii/it-is-necessary-to-obey-a-pope-in-all-things-as-long-as-he-does-not/) [Pope Innocent III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-innocent-iii/) > [One of the Canadian customs guards got suspicious and said 'Haven't you been coming and going across the border a lot lately?' I finally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-jackman/one-of-the-canadian-customs-guards-got-suspicious-and-said-haven-t/) [Hugh Jackman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-jackman/) > [There aren't any looks or customs I wish would come back. Today almost anything goes. Culture constantly devours the past so there's not much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graydon-carter/there-aren-t-any-looks-or-customs-i-wish-would-come-back-today-almost/) [Graydon Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graydon-carter/) > [I believe it is essential to have English as the official language of our National Government, for the English language is the tie that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-sensenbrenner/i-believe-it-is-essential-to-have-english-as-the-official-language-of/) [Jim Sensenbrenner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-sensenbrenner/) > [In each human heart terror survives The ravin it has gorged: the loftiest fear All that they would disdain to think were true: Hypocrisy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/in-each-human-heart-terror-survives-the-ravin-it-has-gorged-the/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) [Browse all 817 Customs quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/customs/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Customs may not be as wise as laws, but they are always more popular", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Benjamin Disraeli" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-disraeli/customs-may-not-be-as-wise-as-laws-but-they-are-always-more-popular/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Customs" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-disraeli/customs-may-not-be-as-wise-as-laws-but-they-are-always-more-popular/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea3/benjamin-disraeli-390_customs_customs-may-not-be-as-wise-as-laws-but-t_1670712.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea3/benjamin-disraeli-390_customs_customs-may-not-be-as-wise-as-laws-but-t_1670712.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea3/benjamin-disraeli-390_customs_customs-may-not-be-as-wise-as-laws-but-t_1670712.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Customs may not be as wise as laws, but they are always more popular” — Benjamin Disraeli", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Benjamin Disraeli", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-disraeli/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Customs may not be as wise...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-disraeli/customs-may-not-be-as-wise-as-laws-but-they-are-always-more-popular/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-disraeli/customs-may-not-be-as-wise-as-laws-but-they-are-always-more-popular/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```