Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Acknowledgements
- Introduction
- Principal events in Bolingbroke's life
- Further reading
- Note on texts
- A Dissertation upon Parties (1733–34)
- LETTER I
- LETTER II
- LETTER III
- LETTER IV
- LETTER V
- LETTER VI
- LETTER VII
- LETTER VIII
- LETTER IX
- LETTER X
- LETTER XI
- LETTER XII
- LETTER XIII
- LETTER XIV
- LETTER XV
- LETTER XVI
- LETTER XVII
- LETTER XVIII
- LETTER XIX
- ‘On the Spirit of Patriotism’ (1736)
- The Idea of a Patriot King (1738)
- Biographical notes
- Index of persons
- Index of subjects
- Cambridge Texts in the History of Political Thought
LETTER XIX
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 June 2012
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Acknowledgements
- Introduction
- Principal events in Bolingbroke's life
- Further reading
- Note on texts
- A Dissertation upon Parties (1733–34)
- LETTER I
- LETTER II
- LETTER III
- LETTER IV
- LETTER V
- LETTER VI
- LETTER VII
- LETTER VIII
- LETTER IX
- LETTER X
- LETTER XI
- LETTER XII
- LETTER XIII
- LETTER XIV
- LETTER XV
- LETTER XVI
- LETTER XVII
- LETTER XVIII
- LETTER XIX
- ‘On the Spirit of Patriotism’ (1736)
- The Idea of a Patriot King (1738)
- Biographical notes
- Index of persons
- Index of subjects
- Cambridge Texts in the History of Political Thought
Summary
Sir,
As the means then of influencing by prerogative, and of governing by force, were considered to be increased formerly, upon every increase of power to the crown, so are the means of influencing by money, and of governing by corruption, to be considered as increased now, upon that increase of power which hath accrued to the crown by the new constitution of the revenue since the Revolution. Nay farther. Not only the means of corrupting are increased, on the part of the crown, but the facility of employing these means with success is increased, on the part of the people, on the part of the electors, and of the elected. Nay, farther still. These means and this facility are not only increased, but the power of the crown to corrupt, as I have hinted already, and the proneness of the people to be corrupted, must continue to increase on the same principles, unless a stop be put to the growing wealth and power of one, and the growing depravity of the other.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- Bolingbroke: Political Writings , pp. 177 - 192Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 1997
- 1
- Cited by