Justice Quote by Rudyard Kipling
““These be the sort" — she took a fine judicial tone, and stuffed her mouth with paan — "These be the sort to oversee justice. They know the land and the customs of the land. The others, all new from Europe, suckled by white women and learning our tongues from books, are worse than the pestilence. They do harm to kings.””
About This Quote
Source Book: "The Jungle Book" (or related short story) by Rudyard Kipling, 1894
The speaker argues that local judges understand their people better than foreign officials imposed from abroad, who are disconnected and harmful.
In simple terms: Local knowledge beats foreign imposition.
Key Takeaway
Trust indigenous expertise.
Themes
justice
colonialism
culture
authority
expertise
Mood
critical
reflective
Type
analytical
political
When to use this quote
- colonial administration
- local governance
- judicial reform
- community dispute resolution
Key Concepts
cultural relativism
legal legitimacy
Questions to Reflect On
- How can foreign aid respect local customs?
- When should external expertise override local practices?
A Different Perspective
Foreign officials may bring useful reforms despite cultural gaps.
![“This cold weather has set all the young Folks to providing Bedfellows. I have signed two or three Licences every Day [as a Fairfax Justice of the Peace] since I have been at Home. I wish I knew where to get a good one myself; for I find cold Sheets extreamly disagreeable.” quote by George Mason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/b92/george-mason-8435_bedfellows_this-cold-weather-has-set-all-the-young_3953.jpg)
