“Any institution which does not suppose the people good, and the magistrate corruptible, is evil.”
What this quote means
Robespierre expresses a healthy distrust of institutions. An institution that assumes the people are good and rulers incorruptible is naive and dangerous, as it does not anticipate abuses of power. Conversely, a good institution must incorporate safeguards, checks and balances, and acknowledge human frailty. It is a lesson in political realism: virtue is not enough; mechanisms must protect against corruption.
How to apply it daily
In your professional or community life, propose control procedures and transparency to prevent abuses, even where trust prevails.
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