proverb · Words worth keeping
Authority, not the truth, makes the law.
Authority, not the truth, makes the law.
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
Authority rather than truth making law distinguishes power to establish a rule from the rule’s factual correctness. The saying raises a question about legitimacy.
Example
Someone asks both who can set a policy and what evidence supports it.
Deeper explanation and when to use it
This is a political perspective, not a universal legal finding. A critical reading does not conclude that evidence is irrelevant or that power deserves obedience merely because it can impose a rule. A useful discussion examines how authority is accountable and how claims are tested.
When to use it
Use it critically to separate rule-making power from factual justification.
Keep in mind
No universal account of legal systems or duty to obey unsupported power is established.
An interpretation of the words, not a claim about their earliest origin.
Attribution & collection notes
- Author or tradition
- Traditional
Attribution: traditional - Country attributed
- Not established
A country attribution does not establish the earliest origin. - Historical period
- Date unknown
- Culture
- Latin