Who said “If the people are happy, united, wealthy, and powerful, we presume the rest. We conclude…”?

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Edmund Burke. A published source records them saying or writing it.

SourceReflections on the Revolution in France (1790)

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“If the people are happy, united, wealthy, and powerful, we presume the rest. We conclude that to be good from whence good is derived.”
— Edmund Burke
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Cite this quote

For academic work, cite the original where you can: Reflections on the Revolution in France (1790).

APA

Burke, E. (n.d.). If the people are happy, united, wealthy, and powerful, we presume the rest. We conclude that to be good from whence good is derived. [Quotation]. Famous Quotations Network. Retrieved October 24, 2026, from https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/25878-if-the-people-are-happy-united-wealthy-and/

MLA

Burke, Edmund. “If the people are happy, united, wealthy, and powerful, we presume the rest. We conclude that to be good from whence good is derived.” Famous Quotations Network, https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/25878-if-the-people-are-happy-united-wealthy-and/. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

Chicago

Burke, Edmund. “If the people are happy, united, wealthy, and powerful, we presume the rest. We conclude that to be good from whence good is derived.” Famous Quotations Network. Accessed October 24, 2026. https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/25878-if-the-people-are-happy-united-wealthy-and/.

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