Loyalty means nothing unless it has at its heart the absolute principle of self-sacrifice.
Woodrow WilsonRead
Living political constitutions must be Darwinian in structure and in practice. Society is a living organism and must obey the laws of life, not of mechanics; it must develop. All that progressives ask or desire is permission-in an era when 'development,' 'evolution,' is the scientific word-to interpret the Constitution according to the Darwinian principle; all they ask is recognition of the fact that a nation is a living thing and not a machine.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote emphasizes that society should be seen as a living organism that evolves, rather than a static machine governed by rigid rules.
In this quote, Woodrow Wilson argues for a perspective on political constitutions that treats them as dynamic and adaptable, akin to living organisms that evolve over time. He contends that just like biological species, societies must develop and grow in response to changing circumstances, and thus constitutional interpretations should embrace this evolutionary perspective rather than adhering strictly to outdated mechanics. This view encourages progress and adaptability within the framework of governance.
Themes
EvolutionSocietyAdaptationConstitutionGrowth
In practice
Example use cases
During a debate on constitutional reforms, one might quote Wilson to advocate for a more flexible interpretation of the law.
More from Woodrow Wilson
All quotes →Since trade ignores national boundaries and the manufacturer insists on having the world as a market, the flag of his nation must follow him, and the doors of the nations which are closed against him must be battered down. Concessions obtained by financiers must be safeguarded by ministers of state, even if the sovereignty of unwilling nations be outraged in the process. Colonies must be obtained or planted, in order that no useful corner of the world may be overlooked or left unused.
Woodrow WilsonRead
The history of liberty is the history of limitations on the power of government, not the increase of it. When we resist, therefore, the concentration of power, we are resisting the processes of death, because concentration of power is what always precedes the destruction of human liberties.
Woodrow WilsonRead
We grow great by dreams. All big men are dreamers.
Woodrow WilsonRead
The way to stop financial joyriding is to arrest the chauffeur, not the automobile.
Woodrow WilsonRead
Once lead this people into war, and they'll forget there ever was such a thing as tolerance. To fight, you must be brutal and ruthless, and the spirit of ruthless brutality will enter into the very fiber of our national life, infecting Congress, the courts, the policeman on the beat, the man in the street.
Woodrow WilsonRead
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