All time Quote by Mark Twain
“Evolution is the law of policies: Darwin said it, Socrates endorsed it, Cuvier proved it and established it for all time in his paper on The Survival of the Fittest. These are illustrious names, this is a mighty doctrine: nothing can ever remove it from its firm base, nothing dissolve it, but evolution.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Essay on Evolution, 1885
The quote conflates natural selection with policy making, suggesting immutable laws govern societal rules.
In simple terms: Evolutionary ideas applied to policy are seen as unchangeable.
Treat policy as adaptable, not fixed.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- government reform
- organizational change
- education curricula
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you differentiate scientific law from social policy?
- Can policies evolve without losing core principles?
Policies can be revised despite perceived permanence.