G. K. Chesterton
Before clearing away a fence whose use you cannot see, find out why it was put there.
Life
Gilbert Keith Chesterton (1874-1936), born in London, was an English writer, journalist and essayist, also a novelist (the Father Brown stories) and poet. Known for his paradoxes and his defence of common sense and tradition, he wrote on the Christian faith in Orthodoxy (1908) and The Everlasting Man (1925). His "fence" has become a well-known rule of prudence for judging reforms.
Main works
Tells how the author came to the Christian faith through common sense and paradox.
A fantastic novel in which detectives infiltrate a council of anarchists.
Retells the story of humanity and of Christianity as a unique event.
A collection of essays, including "The Drift from Domesticity", which contains the image of the fence.
In his own words
« If you don't see the use of it, I certainly won't let you clear it away. Go away and think. Then, when you can come back and tell me that you do see the use of it, I may allow you to destroy it. »
« Some person had some reason for thinking it would be a good thing for somebody. And until we know what the reason was, we really cannot judge whether the reason was reasonable. »
Positions
click a row to see the evidenceHe defends belief in a personal God and the Christian creed as the most reasonable account of the world.
Chesterton, Orthodoxy (1908) ; The Everlasting Man (1925)
He holds that right and wrong are fixed truths, not fashions, and criticises thinkers who treat morals as made up.
Chesterton, Orthodoxy (1908)
He favours small property, the family and local tradition over large concentrations of wealth and power.
Chesterton, What's Wrong with the World (1910) ; The Outline of Sanity (1926)