Posted on 04/06/2017 2:03:53 PM PDT by molewhacka
This is the first of twenty-five weekly articles in The Tennessee Star’s Constitution Series. ...Madison knew one thing about human nature: Every person sought to advance his or her own interests, and every person could be corrupted.
Studying the various forms of government deployed throughout history, Madison came to the conclusion–one that he thought should be obvious–that the only way to counteract the natural tendencies of human nature was to develop a system of checks and balances.
In a pure democracy, every citizen has one vote, and decisions are made by the vote of a majority.
That form of government, Madison and the other Founders knew, almost always led to a tyranny of the majority, where the rights of the minority were abused and trampled upon.
In a monarchy, citizens are ruled by a single ruler–a king or a queen–who inherits that role and, in some countries, exercises absolute power.
The country belongs to the monarch, rather than the citizens of that country. The “sovereignty” of the people–that is their right to choose their own form of government–is something completely missing from a monarchy.
“Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely,” a famous British politician and professor by the name of Lord Acton would say almost a century later in an oft quoted phrase.
What most people forget about that phrase is the next sentence.
“Great men are almost always bad men,” Acton added.
So long as a country was ruled by a good king, the citizens were safe. But what happens when there is a bad king? One who arbitrarily steals the property of the citizens, or executes his subjects on a whim?
For these reasons, Madison and the other delegates to the Constitutional Convention, rejected both a democracy and a monarchy.
In 1787, there were about 500 countries in the world, which had a population about 500 million.
About 499 of these countries were some form of monarchy. Only one tiny country–Switzerland–had a form of government that was an early form of a republic at the time....
The section excerpted highlights just how out of the norm the U.S. was at its founding. This also helps explain why we have moved so far from our founding principles. Essentially, history teaches that you have to defend against the baser instincts of human nature in order to maintain and preserve a true constitutional republic wherein the tyranny of both government and mob rule are constrained.
“But this institution was republican, and even democratic. And here not to be misunderstood, I mean by democratic, a government, the administration of which must always be rendered comfortable to that predominating public opinion . . . and by republican I mean a government reposing, not upon the virtues or the powers of any one man - not upon that honor, which Montesquieu lays down as the fundamental principle of monarchy - far less upon that fear which he pronounces the basis of despotism; but upon that virtue which he, a noble of aristocratic peerage, and the subject of an absolute monarch, boldly proclaims as a fundamental principle of republican government. The Constitution of the United States was republican and democratic - but the experience of all former ages had shown that of all human governments, democracy was the most unstable, fluctuating and short-lived; and it was obvious that if virtue - the virtue of the people, was the foundation of republican government, the stability and duration of the government must depend upon the stability and duration of the virtue by which it is sustained.” - John Quincy Adams - "Jubilee" Address, April, 1839Just because the liberals/progressives have promoted in error the idea that the wise Founders and Framers of our Constitution gave us a "democracy" does not make it the truth. As a matter of fact, they indicated clearly why, as JQA stated above.
Also, Benjamin Franklin left the Hall, he stated to the lady who questioned what kind of government they had formed, "A Republic, Madam, if you can keep it."
Wouldn't it be great if the "Republic-ans" like McCain and other Republicans knew, and could articulate, that idea?
This is the first of a series of 25 articles on the writing of the Constitution.
Excellent idea.
I forgot to add: Add me to your ping list please. Thanks.
Types of Government, Explained
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4r0VUybeXY
10 minute video.
The most concise explanation of different forms of government I have ever seen.
Done.
Spoiler Alert: We couldn’t.
My experience with most Republicans is that could care less about the Constitution, our founding principles, or the lessons of history. They just want to get at the pie before the slices are all gone.
The sobering lesson of history is that our forms of government are unstable because most people are unstable.
2500 years ago, in Herodotus’ Histories...
“Darius came forward, and spoke as follows:- “All that Megabyzus said against democracy was well said, I think; but about oligarchy he did not speak advisedly; for take these three forms of government - democracy, oligarchy, and monarchy - and let them each be at their best, I maintain that monarchy far surpasses the other two. What government can possibly be better than that of the very best man in the whole state?
The counsels of such a man are like himself, and so he governs the mass of the people to their heart’s content; while at the same time his measures against evil-doers are kept more secret than in other states.
Contrariwise, in oligarchies, where men vie with each other in the service of the commonwealth, fierce enmities are apt to arise between man and man, each wishing to be leader, and to carry his own measures; whence violent quarrels come, which lead to open strife, often ending in bloodshed. Then monarchy is sure to follow; and this too shows how far that rule surpasses all others.
Again, in a democracy, it is impossible but that there will be malpractices: these malpractices, however, do not lead to enmities, but to close friendships, which are formed among those engaged in them, who must hold well together to carry on their villainies. And so things go on until a man stands forth as champion of the commonalty, and puts down the evil-doers. Straightway the author of so great a service is admired by all, and from being admired soon comes to be appointed king; so that here too it is plain that monarchy is the best government.
Lastly, to sum up all in a word, whence, I ask, was it that we got the freedom which we enjoy? - did democracy give it us, or oligarchy, or a monarch? As a single man recovered our freedom for us, my sentence is that we keep to the rule of one. Even apart from this, we ought not to change the laws of our forefathers when they work fairly; for to do so is not well.”
interesting : the Senate is now democratic though it was fromed to be oligarchial; the House is now oligarchial, though it was formed to be democratic.
The division of powers makes it hard for democracy to conquer the whole of our system and then reduce it to tyranny. Though not impossible.
Bttt.
5.56mm
Monarchies are only as good as the monarch. Given the choice of being ruled by Prince Charles or a drunken mob, I would have a hard time picking which would do the least harm.
Can we keep it? It seems a lot of people don’t really want to.
But notice that he says a democracy or oligarchy WILL always devolve into a monarchy anyway.
That is the lesson our Founders took from it.
I see your point...I would not, however, put any money on getting a benevolent king out of the process.
I commend to you and all who are interested in this most important subject a most informative book entitled “The 5000 Year Leap: A Miracle That Changed the World” by W. Cleon Skousen.
The following 2 paragraphs summarize the gist of the book:
“Discover the 28 Principles of FReedom our Founding Fathers said must be understood and perpetuated by every people who desire peace prosperity, and FReedom.”
“Learn how adherents to these beliefs in the past 200 years has brought more progress than was made in the previous 5,000 years.”
To obtain your copy of the book, visit the National Center for Constitutional Studies at https://nccs.net/shop/the-5000-year-leap-a-miracle-that-changed-the-world.
I believe you will find the book a great read!
A good read Americans have gotten comfortable with 2 second sound bytes and pat answers -the American founding era BPC (before personal computers ) and before MTV /Entertainment tonight were given to longer Sermons and longer public addresses. T’anks.
Thanks for this. Will have to mark for later, but I am looking forward to reading this and the rest. One of my favorite things to do is read about the founding documents and all that went along with it.
I’m always on the lookout for good articles on the Founding, even when they are just a bit outside the purview of a Federalist/Anti-Federalist ping.
Thanks for all you do. I really enjoy all such articles.
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