Tradition is only democracy ...

Tradition is only democracy extended through time; it may be defined as an extension of the franchise. Tradition means giving votes to the most obscure of all classes, our ancestors. It is the democracy of the dead. Tradition refuses to submit to the small and arrogant oligarchy of those who are merely walking about. All democrats object to men being disqualified by accident of birth; tradition objects to their being disqualified by accident of death. Democracy tells us not to neglect a good man\'s opinion, even if he is our father.
Tradition is only democracy extended through time; it may be defined as an extension of the franchise. Tradition means giving votes to the most obscure of all classes, our ancestors. It is the democracy of the dead. Tradition refuses to submit to the small and arrogant oligarchy of those who are merely walking about. All democrats object to men being disqualified by accident of birth; tradition objects to their being disqualified by accident of death. Democracy tells us not to neglect a good man's opinion, even if he is our father.
 Gilbert K. Chesterton

Quotes from the same author

Men always talk about the most important things to perfect strangers. In the perfect stranger we perceive man himself; the image of a God is not disguised by resemblances to an uncle or doubts of wisdom of a mustache.
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 Gilbert K. Chesterton
A change of opinions is almost unknown in an elderly military man.
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 Gilbert K. Chesterton
Men reform a thing by removing the reality from it, and then do not know what to do with the unreality that is left.
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 Gilbert K. Chesterton
The power which makes a man able to entertain a good impulse is the same as that which enables him to make a good gun; it is imagination.
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 Gilbert K. Chesterton
The doctrine of human equality reposes on this: that there is no man really clever who has not found that he is stupid.
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 Gilbert K. Chesterton