Authority Quote by Thomas Hobbes
“It is not wisdom but Authority that makes a law”
About This Quote
Source Treatise: Leviathan, 1651
Laws gain authority not from wisdom but from the power that enforces them.
In simple terms: Authority, not wisdom, makes law.
Key Takeaway
Question the source of legal power.
Themes
law
authority
wisdom
Mood
critical
skeptical
Type
philosophical
political
When to use this quote
- legal reforms
- government policy
- civil disobedience
- education curricula
Key Concepts
political theory
social contract
Questions to Reflect On
- Who should grant authority to laws?
- Can wisdom replace authority?
A Different Perspective
Authority can be abused; wisdom still matters for just law.
![“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)