Chesterton’s fence is the principle that reformers ought to first understand whatever it is they hope to reform before they monkey with it. In other words, reforms should not be made until the reasoning behind the object of reform is understood. It’s a caution to impetuous reformers who are more likely than not to exacerbate problems despite their best intentions. G.K. Chesterton presented the concept as follows:
In the matter of reforming things, as distinct from deforming them, there is one plain and simple principle; a principle which will probably be called a paradox. There exists in such a case a certain institution or law; let us say, for the sake of simplicity, a fence or gate erected across a road. The more modern type of reformer goes gaily up to it and says, “I don’t see the use of this; let us clear it away.” To which the more intelligent type of reformer will do well to answer: “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.
G.K. Chesterton, from the chapter “A Drift from Domesticity” in the book The Thing
This is not an argument for doing things the way they’ve always been done. It’s a warning to beware of the possibility of second-order effects that we never intended.
We can assume that anything that took some manner of effort to construct was put in place for some purpose. Something that withstood the test of time likely serves some function. If we don’t understand what that function is, we may assume the thing is pointless. Now it is possible that the world has changed so that the thing no longer has utility and change is warranted. It is also possible that, unbeknownst to us, the thing is holding up an entire edifice that might come crashing down if we proceed with our minor renovation.
Rules are rarely accidental or arbitrary. It is important to understand the rationale behind them before we do away with them. Even things that annoy us might exist for our protection.
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