Suits obviously had helped to promote bad government and he was as guilty as anyone for wearing them so steadfastly for twenty years. Of late he had become frightened of the government for the first time in his life, the way the structure of democracy had begun debasing people rather than enlivening them in their mutual concern. The structure was no longer concerned with the purpose for which it was designed, and a small part of the cause, Nordstrom thought, was probably that all politicians and bureaucrats wore suits. Jim Harrison
About This Quote

In the novel, The Bonfire of the Vanities , written by Tom Wolfe, the character of Bruce Nordstrom says this as a defense against an accusation of hypocrisy. In his view, it is hypocritical for people to criticize others for wearing suits and yet wear them themselves. Unlike Bruce Nordstrom, we should not be hypocrites and we should not wear suits to promote bad government. We should work hard to promote good government and people who do that do not need to wear suits.

Source: Legends Of The Fall

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