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Infidels,
Freethinkers, Humanists, and Unbelievers |
Bagehot,
Walter (1826 – 1877) |
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| "Great
and terrible systems of divinity and philosophy lie round about
us, which, if true, might drive a wise man mad."
"So
long as there are earnest believers in the world, they will always
wish to punish opinions, even if their judgment tells them it
unwise, and their conscience it is wrong."
--
Walter Bagehot
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Walter
Bagehot was a nineteenth century British economist. He was born
in Langport, Somerset, England. He attended University College London,
where he earned a master's degree in 1848. He was called to the
Bar, but did not practice, and joined his father in the banking
business. He wrote for various periodicals, but gained notice as
an early editor of The Economist newspaper, which had been founded
by his father-in-law (James Wilson). After taking over in 1861,
he expanded the publication's reporting on the United States and
on politics, and is considered to have increased its influence among
policymakers.
In
1867, he wrote a book called The English Constitution which explored
the constitution of the United Kingdom, specifically the functioning
of Parliament and the British monarchy and the contrasts between
British and American government. The book is a standard work which
was translated into several languages.
He
also wrote Physics and Politics (1872), in which he coined the
still-current expression "the cake of custom," and Lombard
Street (1873), a valuable financial work. In his contributions
to sociological theory through historical studies, Bagehot may
be compared to his contemporary Henry James Sumner Maine.
A
collection of essays, biographical and economic, was published
after his death.
In
honour of his achievements The Economist named its weekly column
on British politics after him and every year the British Political
Studies Association awards the Walter Bagehot Prize for the best
dissertation in the field of government and public administration. |
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