Authority Quote by Herbert Spencer
“Let men learn that a legislature is not 'our God upon earth,' though, by the authority they ascribe to it, and the things they expect from it, they would seem to think it is. Let them learn rather that it is an institution serving a purely temporary purpose, whose power, when not stolen, is at the best borrowed.”
About This Quote
Spencer argues that legislatures are temporary institutions, not divine or eternal, and their authority is borrowed; they should be seen as serving a limited purpose rather than being worshipped.
In simple terms: Legislatures are temporary, not divine.
Key Takeaway
Treat legislatures as temporary, limited institutions.
Themes
politics
authority
temporary institutions
Mood
critical
thought‑provoking
Type
philosophical
political
When to use this quote
- recognizing legislative limits
- preventing overreach
Key Concepts
social contract
power dynamics
institutional theory
Questions to Reflect On
- What are the limits of legislative power?
- How can citizens ensure temporary governance?
A Different Perspective
Treating legislatures as immutable can lead to authoritarianism.
![“The rationale which accompanies that imposition of male authority euphemistically referred to as 'the battle of the sexes' bears a certain resemblance to the formulas of nations at war, where any heinousness is justified on the grounds that the enemy is either an inferior [part of the] species or…” quote by Kate Millett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/895/kate-millett-7301_accompany_the-rationale-which-accompanies-that-imp_8896.jpg)