You have despoiled churches. You have threatened every corporation and endowment in the country. You have examined into everybody's affairs. You have criticised every profession and vexed every trade. No one is certain of his property, and nobody knows what duties he may have to perform to-morrow. This is the policy of confiscation as compared with that of concurrent endowment.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Policies threatening property and institutions create insecurity and act like confiscation.
- In plain terms
- Attacking property rights causes fear and confusion.
- What can you take from it?
- Respect property rights to maintain stability.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Is this about freedom or fear?
- How to balance property and public good?
Another view
Some argue this view ignores historical abuses of property power.
More from Benjamin Disraeli
A university should be a place of light, of liberty, and of learning.
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Permalink to quote #53 The most distinguishing feature, or, at least, one of the most distinguishing features, of the great change effected in 1832 was that those who effected it at …
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