The King himself should be under no man, but under God and the Law.
Edward CokeRead
It is the worst oppression, that is done by colour of justice
Interpretation
What this quote means
True injustice often masquerades as justice itself, leading to greater oppression.
Edward Coke's quote highlights the insidious nature of oppression that is disguised as justice. This indicates that the systems and institutions intended to uphold justice can sometimes perpetuate the very inequalities they are meant to eradicate, emphasizing the need for vigilance and critical examination of those in power.
Themes
OppressionJusticeInequalityInstitutionPower
In practice
Example use cases
Using this quote during a discussion on systemic racism in a community meeting.
More from Edward Coke
All quotes →For a man's house is his castle, et domus sua cuique tutissimum refugium [and one's home is the safest refuge to everyone].
Edward CokeRead
There be three kinds of unhappie men. 1. Qui scit & non docet, Hee that hath knowledge and teacheth not. 2. Qui docet & non vivit, He that teacheth, and liveth not thereafter. 3. Qui nescit, & non interrogat, He that knoweth not, and doth not enquire to understand.
Edward CokeRead
No man can be a compleat Lawyer by universalitie of knowledge without experience in particular cases, nor by bare experience without universalitie of knowledge; he must be both speculative & active, for the science of the laws, I assure you, must joyne hands with experience.
Edward CokeRead
So as grave and learned men may doubt, without any imputation to them; for the most learned doubteth most, and the more ignorant for the most part are the more bold and peremptory.
Edward CokeRead
Reason is the life of the law; nay, the common law itself is nothing else but reason - the law which is perfection of reason.
Edward CokeRead
Similar quotes
Give up identification with this mass of flesh as well as with what thinks it a mass. Both are intellectual imaginations. Recognise your true self as undifferentiated awareness, unaffected by time, past, present or future, and enter Peace.
Adi ShankaraRead
When we are at the end of life, to die means to go away; when we are at the beginning, to go away means to die.
Victor HugoRead
Conflict, of course, comes about because of the misuse of power and the clash of ideals, not to mention the inflammatory activities of unscrupulous and bigoted leaders. But it also arises, tragically, from an inability to understand and from the powerful emotions which, out of misunderstanding, lead to distrust and fear.
Prince CharlesRead
Skepticism is the agent of reason against organized irrationalism--and is therefore one of the keys to human social and civic decency.
Stephen Jay GouldRead
I been silent so long now it’s gonna roar out of me like floodwaters and you think the guy telling this is ranting and raving my God; you think this is too horrible to have really happened, this is too awful to be the truth! But, please. It’s still hard for me to have a clear mind thinking on it. But it’s the truth even if it didn’t happen.
Ken KeseyRead
What should we suppose must naturally be the consequence of our carrying on a slave trade with Africa? With a country, vast in its extent, not utterly barbarous, but civilized in a very small degree? Does any one suppose a slave trade would help their civilization?
William WilberforceRead