The Conservatives, as being by the law of their existence, the stupidest party, have much the greatest aims of this description to answer for, and it is a melancholy truth, that if any measure were proposed, on any subject, truly, largely, and far-sightedly conservative, even if liberals were willing to vote for it, the great bulk of the Conservative party would rush blindly in and prevent of from being carried.
"On Representative Government", John Stuart Mill