"But what is government itself, but the greatest of all reflections on human nature? If men were angels, no government would be necessary. If angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls on government would be necessary. In framing a government which is to be administered by men over men, the great difficulty lies in this: you must first enable the government to control the governed; and in the next place oblige it to control itself."
And when the government doesn't control itself, We the People are obliged to step in and take corrective action. Unfortunately, We the People haven't shown much skill or inclination in controlling ourselves, much less our government(s).
Self-referential link.
ReplyDeleteFrom Federalist Papers No. 51:
ReplyDelete"But what is government itself, but the greatest of all reflections on human nature? If men were angels, no government would be necessary. If angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls on government would be necessary. In framing a government which is to be administered by men over men, the great difficulty lies in this: you must first enable the government to control the governed; and in the next place oblige it to control itself."
And when the government doesn't control itself, We the People are obliged to step in and take corrective action. Unfortunately, We the People haven't shown much skill or inclination in controlling ourselves, much less our government(s).
https://billofrightsinstitute.org/primary-sources/federalist-no-51
And therein lies another "great difficulty."
"Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious People. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other" -- John Adams
https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Adams/99-02-02-3102