“If Men Were Angels . . .”

Posted on | October 5, 2025 | 1 Comment

On “the problem of liberty and order in constitutional government.”

The Federalist – 51st Paper (1788):

“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 internal or external 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. A dependence on the people is, no doubt, the primary control on the government; but experience has taught mankind the necessity of auxiliary precautions [a well constructed constitution].”
– James Madison