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About this quote

What does it mean?
What is accepted today as precedent will become the standard later.
In plain terms
Today's accepted rules become future standards.
What can you take from it?
Be careful what rules you set today.

Where it applies

  • legal decisions
  • policy setting
  • company culture

Putting it to work

  • document rationales
  • consider long-term effects
  • review past precedents

Questions to consider

  • What precedent are you setting now?
  • When should precedents be broken?

Another view

Not all precedents stick if circumstances change.

More from Tacitus

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  3. The more numerous the laws, the more corrupt the government.

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