Foundation and Empire (Foundation, #2)

by Isaac Asimov

To him, a stilted geometric love of arrangement was “system,” an indefatigable and feverish interest in the pettiest facets of day-to-day bureaucracy was “industry,” indecision when right was “caution,” and blind stubbornness when wrong, “determination.”

the only people that inherited anything by right of birth were the congenital idiots.