Essay · Political literatureAmbition must be made to counteract ambition.James MadisonFederalist 51 · 1788★ 7.6
Essay · Political literatureIt may be a reflection on human nature, that such devices should be necessary to control the abuses of government. But what is government itself, but the greatest of all reflections on human nature? If men were angels, no government would be necessary.James MadisonFederalist 51 · 1788★ 7.0
Essay · Political literatureJustice is the end of government. It is the end of civil society. It ever has been and ever will be pursued until it be obtained, or until liberty be lost in the pursuit.James MadisonFederalist 51 · 1788★ 7.0
Essay · Political literatureThe accumulation of all powers, legislative, executive, and judiciary, in the same hands, whether of one, a few, or many, and whether hereditary, selfappointed, or elective, may justly be pronounced the very definition of tyranny.James MadisonFederalist 47 · 1788★ 7.0
Essay · Political literatureHad every Athenian citizen been a Socrates, every Athenian assembly would still have been a mob.James MadisonFederalist 55 · 1788★ 3.9
Essay · Political literatureEnergy in the Executive is a leading character in the definition of good government.Alexander HamiltonFederalist 70 · 1788★ 3.8
Essay · Political literatureThe interpretation of the laws is the proper and peculiar province of the courts.Alexander HamiltonFederalist 78 · 1788★ 3.8
Essay · Political literatureIt will not be denied, that power is of an encroaching nature, and that it ought to be effectually restrained from passing the limits assigned to it.James MadisonFederalist 48 · 1788★ 3.8
Essay · Political literatureIf mankind were to resolve to agree in no institution of government, until every part of it had been adjusted to the most exact standard of perfection, society would soon become a general scene of anarchy, and the world a desert.Alexander HamiltonFederalist 65 · 1788★ 3.7
Essay · Political literatureA constitution is, in fact, and must be regarded by the judges, as a fundamental law. It therefore belongs to them to ascertain its meaning, as well as the meaning of any particular act proceeding from the legislative body. If there should happen to be an irreconcilable variance between the two, that which has the superior obligation and validity ought, of course, to be preferred; or, in other words, the Constitution ought to be preferred to the statute, the intention of the people to the intention of their agents.Alexander HamiltonFederalist 78 · 1788★ 3.7
Essay · Political literatureThe defect must be supplied, by so contriving the interior structure of the government as that its several constituent parts may, by their mutual relations, be the means of keeping each other in their proper places.James MadisonFederalist 51 · 1788★ 3.7
Essay · Political literatureAn elective despotism was not the government we fought for; but one which should not only be founded on free principles, but in which the powers of government should be so divided and balanced among several bodies of magistracy, as that no one could transcend their legal limits, without being effectually checked and restrained by the others.James MadisonFederalist 48 · 1788★ 3.7
Essay · Political literatureThe powers delegated by the proposed Constitution to the federal government are few and defined. Those which are to remain in the State governments are numerous and indefinite.James MadisonFederalist 45 · 1788★ 3.7
Essay · Political literatureIn 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.James MadisonFederalist 51 · 1788★ 3.7
Essay · Political literatureIt is ESSENTIAL to such a government that it be derived from the great body of the society, not from an inconsiderable proportion, or a favored class of it; otherwise a handful of tyrannical nobles, exercising their oppressions by a delegation of their powers, might aspire to the rank of republicans, and claim for their government the honorable title of republic.James MadisonFederalist 39 · 1788★ 3.7
Essay · Political literatureWe may define a republic to be, or at least may bestow that name on, a government which derives all its powers directly or indirectly from the great body of the people, and is administered by persons holding their offices during pleasure, for a limited period, or during good behavior.James MadisonFederalist 39 · 1788★ 3.7
Essay · Political literatureA good government implies two things: first, fidelity to the object of government, which is the happiness of the people; secondly, a knowledge of the means by which that object can be best attained.James MadisonFederalist 62 · 1788★ 3.7
Essay · Political literatureIn a society under the forms of which the stronger faction can readily unite and oppress the weaker, anarchy may as truly be said to reign as in a state of nature.James MadisonFederalist 51 · 1788★ 3.7
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