Paul McClintock, PRP

Where there is no law, but every man does what is right in his own eyes, there is the least of real liberty. -- Henry M. Robert, Robert's Rules of Order Revised, 1915, preface, 3rd paragraph (and RONR 10th edition, p. v).

[A]ny presiding officer will do well to bear in mind that no rules can take the place of tact and common sense on the part of the chairman. -- Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised, 2000, p.433, l.20-23..

There are five great principles underlying the rules of parliamentary law, namely: (1) Order. That is, there must be orderly procedure. (2) Equality. That is, all members are equal before the rule or law. (3) Justice. That is, justice for all. (4) Right of the minority to be heard on questions. (5) Right of the majority to rule the organization. -- George Demeter, Demeter's Manual of Parliamentary Law and Procedure, 1969 Blue Book Edition, p. 5.

The great lesson for democracies to learn is for the majority to give to the minority a full, free opportunity to present their side of the case, and then for the minority, having failed to win a majority to their views, gracefully to submit and to recognize the action as that of the entire organization, and cheerfully to assist in carrying it out, until they can secure its repeal. -- Henry M. Robert, Parliamentary Law, 1923, p.4.

Parliamentary law should be the servant, not the master, of the assembly. The assembly meets to transact business, not to have members exploit their knowledge of parliamentary law. -- Henry M. Robert, Parliamentary Law, 1923, p.151.

The application of parliamentary law is the best method yet devised to enable assemblies of any size, with due regard for every member's opinion, to arrive at the general will on the maximum number of questions of varying complexity in a minimum amount of time and under all kinds of internal climate ranging from total harmony to hardened or impassioned division of opinion. -- Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised, 10th edition, p. XLVIII.

The great purpose of all rules and forms is to subserve the will of the assembly, rather than to restrain it; to facilitate, and not to obstruct, the expression of their deliberate sense. -- Cushing's Manual of Parliamentary Practice, 1928, p. 187.

Wherever there is an assembly there is need of parliamentary law, so that the assembly may proceed in orderly fashion with as little jar and discord as possible, and accomplish the work to be performed, which work in all instances is to obtain the sense of the assembly and shape its action in accord therewith. -- Thomas B. Reed, Reed's Parliamentary Rules, Introduction.

In these days of numerous organizations it should be considered as inexcusable to belong to any society holding regular meetings and remain ignorant of parliamentary law as to join in golf, tennis or [cards] and not familiarize one's self with the rules of the game. -- Emma A. Fox, Parliamentary Usage For Women's Clubs, p. 2.

The Chair makes the difference at meetings. If the Chair is an effective leader -- focusing on the members, treating each fairly, earning everyone's trust -- then the meeting will be successful. If not, it will end in disarray and fail to meet its objectives. -- Hugh Cannon, Cannon's Concise Guide to Rules of Order, p. 13.

One of the basic concepts of freedom is the right of people to join together to achieve their common purposes. This concept includes the right to assemble and to organize, to propose ideas, to speak without fear of reprisal, to vote on proposals, and to carry out the decisions of the group. Parliamentary law provides the procedures that give reality to these democratic concepts. -- The Standard Code of Parliamentary Procedure, 4th edition, Alice Sturgis / AIP, p. 2.

Rules of order are intended to facilitate progress, not to impede it. -- Eli Mina, The Complete Handbook of Business Meetings, p. 5.

If there were no rules or established customs to guide an assembly of persons, and if each could talk on any subject as long and as many times as he pleased, and if all could talk at the same time, it would be impracticable in most cases to ascertain their deliberate judgment on any particular matter. Experience has shown the necessity for rules, for a presiding officer to enforce them and to preserve order, and for a recording secretary to keep a record of the business transacted by the assembly. -- Henry M. Robert, Parliamentary Practice, 1949, p. xi.

The fundamental principles of parliamentary law are: Justice to all, Courtesy to all, One thing at a time, The rule of the majority, The rights of the minority, Partiality to none. -- Rose Marie Cruzan, Practical Parliamentary Procedure, 3rd ed., 1962, p. 5.

The fundamental essence of a meeting is the equal opportunity of members to initiate ideas, oppose ideas, and to do so without coercion. -- James Lochrie, Meeting Procedures, Parliamentary Law and Rules of Order for the 21st Century, 2003, p. 1

Six principles underlie the rules of any meeting.  These are: (1) the majority must be allowed to rule; (2) the minority have rights that must be respected; (3) members have a right to information to help make decisions; (4) courtesy and respect for others are required; (5) all members have equal rights, privileges, and obligations; (6) members have a right to an efficient meeting. -- James Lochrie, Meeting Procedures, Parliamentary Law and Rules of Order for the 21st Century, 2003, p. 1.

[A] principle of democracy is that a group needs to agree ahead of time on how it might make a group decision, as well as a commitment on everyone's part to accept that decision. -- James Lochrie, Meeting Procedures, Parliamentary Law and Rules of Order for the 21st Century, 2003, p. 130.

It is more material that there should be a rule to go by than what that rule is: in order that there may be a uniformity of proceeding in the business of the House, not subject to the momentary caprice of the Speaker or to the captious disputes of any of the Members. -- Hatsell, II, 207-8.

Go to Top

Home  •  Services  •  Resumé  •  Resources  •  Q&A  •  Links  •  Contact  •  Quotes  •  Site map