“The poorest man in England has a right to the protection of the law.”Edmund Burke · Reflecții asupra Revoluției din Franța · 1790 · paragraful 89
Equality before the law means legal protection is universal, regardless of status.
Burke asserts a principle of equality before the law: no one is above the law, and the poorest man has the same right to protection as the richest. This is the foundation of the rule of law. For example, a homeless man has the right not to be assaulted or dispossessed of his few belongings, just like a tycoon.
Why it matters This quote is a reminder that a truly civilized society is measured by how it treats its most vulnerable members.