Authority Quote by Michel de Montaigne
“Laws gain their authority from actual possession and custom: it is perilous to go back to their origins; laws, like our rivers, get greater and nobler as they roll along: follow them back upstream to their sources and all you find is a tiny spring, hardly recognizable; as time goes by it swells with pride and grows in strength.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: "On Laws" in Essays, 1580
Laws evolve over time, gaining strength and legitimacy as they are practiced, so their origins become obscure and less important.
In simple terms: Laws grow stronger with use.
Key Takeaway
Respect the law’s current form.
Themes
law
history
authority
Mood
reflective
analytical
Type
philosophical
historical
When to use this quote
- government
- legal practice
- policy making
- civil rights
Key Concepts
social contract
institutional development
Questions to Reflect On
- What does the “tiny spring” symbolize about original intent?
- Should we ever revert to a law’s original purpose?
A Different Perspective
Historical context may be ignored, leading to misinterpretation.
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