If government was not a necessary evil then how would a government grow? One may believe that in order for government to achieve greater knowledge and prosperity in their own government they must ensure that these necessary evils coexist with government. Contrary to that belief one may say that necessary evil must be done away with, to pursue a complete and perfect government. Although a perfect government is lead to believe as not possible some people think differently, but one who disagrees with the previous statement may agree with Thomas Paine who believes government is an overall evil. Compared to Publius who thinks government is one part evil one part necessary. All of these evils are a part of human nature and government as well.
Publius believes that one’s government is a reflection on human nature (Federalist 51). Also he mentions that “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” (Federalist 51). Publius says this in order to make the analogy that we are no angels, therefore we cannot govern ourselves. This is a good example in showing that human nature and human beings have flaws, so something will more than likely go wrong no matter the circumstances. Publius talks about in Federalist 51 that since men are not angels we live in a society where men govern men and when doing that we have to control their power, as to what they can and cannot decide on such as making laws, distributing laws, and deciding who and how said laws are being forced upon. If you do not control the power of the government they will eventually combine all their powers to form a tyranny. Publius believes that in order to encroach this ...
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... more than likely disagree with Paine as in doing away with government, as it is needed in order to form a good society. Publius would agree with Locke because they both think that you must have a government in order to form a civil society and that a government will protect you and secure your natural rights as a person.
In conclusion to this, there is no such thing as a perfect government, only a great government yet even then they will still have some flaws. Necessary evils are necessary in government in order to surpass history and improve on itself. Publius and Thomas Paine agree in the sense that you cannot avoid evils within a government. Government is necessary in all forms; it is what controls us humans to not act unruly. This necessary evil in government will continue on for all of mankind due to the fact that we are humans and it is in our human nature.
•Compare the backgrounds of Jefferson and Paine; did Paine have an advantage or disadvantage by not being born in the colonies? Explain.
Thomas Hobbes and John Locke have authored two works that have had a significant impact on political philosophy. In the “Leviathan” by Hobbes and “Two Treatises of Government” by Locke, the primary focus was to analyze human nature to determine the most suitable type of government for humankind. They will have confounding results. Hobbes concluded that an unlimited sovereign is the only option, and would offer the most for the people, while for Locke such an idea was without merit. He believed that the government should be limited, ruling under the law, with divided powers, and with continued support from its citizens. With this paper I will argue that Locke had a more realistic approach to identifying the human characteristics that organize people into societies, and is effective in persuading us that a limited government is the best government.
“Join, or Die.” “Don’t Tread on Me.” These are two mottos often used by Revolutionary supporters and fighters from about 1754 to 1783, and even sometimes today it is still used. These were battle cries that patriotic men would scream with all their might before charging onto the battlefield, where they might take their last breath. Nearly five thousand men gave their lives, for freedom’s sake. Their sacrifices were not done in vain, as the war was ended on September 3rd, 1783. This sense of victory and accomplishment is what lead these new Americans to further establishing their country, making their mark on history, and creating a new identity for themselves, as free men and woman.
The Articles of Confederation, the perfect republican government, was not a perfect government. It was faulty and ineffective in providing a central government with tax revenue to pay off debts, which caused the discontent of mobs that the central government would fail to control. The Articles created a weak government that would be easily pushed around by its people and by foreign countries. The reliance on civic virtue was successful in organized land policies that spread republicanism ideals; however, it failed to aid the Congress of the Confederation in tax revenue and controlling mobocracy. The Articles of Confederation was ineffective and faulty with is roots planted solely in republicanism.
James Madison once said,” All men having power ought to be distrusted.” Through these words, Madison made the statement that not all government officials use their authority for good; some abuse that power and use it to gain more for themselves rather than vesting it within the people. This issue may lead to tyranny. Tyranny is when all powers belong to only one person or group. In May of 1787, the Constitutional Convention was held in Philadelphia to draft a better constitution. One of the topics that concerned many was how the constitution would guard against tyranny. Madison and the other delegates wanted a Constitution that would be strong enough to unite the states and the people together without letting there be one person or group gain too much power. They achieved this in several ways. Today, the U.S. Constitution guards against tyranny by including a separation of powers, federalism, and the fair representation of states.
Typology is deeply rooted throughout history as noted in American Literature, and it is still prominent today. Modern day citizens can turn on the news and see typology in one particularly important aspect of our democracy: politics. One of many examples of typology used in American Politics is when current President Donald Trump states, “We need to drain the Swamp” when speaking about the Federal Government. This phrase is dated back historically to times when people would drain swamps to reduce the number of mosquitos to alleviate the problem of malaria. However, that’s not what President Trump is alluding to, because he’s using it to generate an emotional reaction to persuade the base supporters of his campaign that he will make the American
Thomas Paine wrote, “the more simple anything is, the less liable it is to be disordered.” He also goes on to argue that if something is simple and disorder was to occur, it would be easier to repair since issues wouldn’t be as complex (in comparison to a mixed government). Later on, Paine continues and makes a connection between law and a king. He argues that in America, law is king. He says, “…let the crown, at the conclusion of the ceremony, be demolished, and scattered among the people whose right it is.” Paine claims that just like a king, laws should not behold the virtue and power that rests among the people. Instead, the “crown”, or powers should be scattered to those who have the right; the people have power because of their natural
Niccolo Machiavelli, John Locke, and John Stuart Mill present three distinct models of government in their works The Prince, Second Treatise of Government, and Utilitarianism. From an examination of these models it is possible to infer their views about human nature and its connection to the purpose of government. A key to comparing these views can be found in an examination of their ideas of morality as an intermediary between government and human nature. Whether this morality must be inferred from their writings or whether it is explicitly mentioned, it differs among the three in its definition, source, and purpose.
American history has been influenced by a diversity of people, as well as thoughts. Yet, documents related to the independence of the country might be considered the most significant ones. The Declaration of Independence written by Thomas Jefferson, as well as Common Sense was written by Thomas Paine, both documents appealing for the same cause, but in different manners. In the same order will be mentioned the Second Treatise of Government Excerpt, by John Locke. Locke 's philosophy is based on the natural rights of individuals, and how these rights should be inquired. He says, that individuals have the right to choose who makes their laws and who governs them. Locke 's document makes specific emphasis on the way how power should be administered, "a man comes by a power over other; yet not absolute or arbitrary power". This quote, in addition to his declarations of people needing to come together in order to protect their properties, are some of the influences which could be identified by Jefferson and Paine 's work. However, the one considered
A longstanding debate in human history is what to do with power and what is the best way to rule. Who should have power, how should one rule, and what its purpose should government serve have always been questions at the fore in civilization, and more than once have sparked controversy and conflict. The essential elements of rule have placed the human need for order and structure against the human desire for freedom, and compromising between the two has never been easy. It is a question that is still considered and argued to this day. However, the argument has not rested solely with military powers or politicians, but philosophers as well. Two prominent voices in this debate are Plato and Machiavelli, both of whom had very different ideas of government's role in the lives of its people. For Plato, the essential service of government is to allow its citizens to live in their proper places and to do the things that they are best at. In short, Plato's government reinforces the need for order while giving the illusion of freedom. On the other hand, Machiavelli proposes that government's primary concern is to remain intact, thereby preserving stability for the people who live under it. The feature that both philosophers share is that they attempt to compromise between stability and freedom, and in the process admit that neither can be totally had.
Assuring the people, both Alexander Hamilton and James Madison insisted the new government under the constitution was “an expression of freedom, not its enemy,” declaring “the Constitution made political tyranny almost impossible.” (Foner, pg. 227) The checks and balances introduced under the new and more powerful national government would not allow the tyranny caused by a king under the Parliament system in Britain. They insisted that in order achieve a greater amount of freedom, a national government was needed to avoid the civil unrest during the system under the Articles of Confederation. Claiming that the new national government would be a “perfect balance between liberty and power,” it would avoid the disruption that liberty [civil unrest] and power [king’s abuse of power in England] caused.
In Federalist #39, Publius addressed two elements in his argument for the Constitution. Two terms are crucial to his argument. First, he spoke of the “national,” which referred to the people while the “federal” term was used to refer to the states as in the Articles of Confederation. Madison goes on to address those who believed that the federal should be preserved, in that, the states should be preserved. Furthermore, the term national, used to directly address the power of the people.
The men who wrote the American constitution agreed with Thomas Hobbes that humans were naturally evil. Therefore, they agreed that in order to prevent a dictatorship or monarchy, the citizens should have influence in the government. The writers wanted a more ideal constitution, but they realized evil human motives would never change. One of the main goals of the constitution was to create a balanced government that would allow the citizens to prevent each other from being corrupt. The writers wanted to give citizens liberty, but they did not want to give people so much liberty that they would have an uncontrollable amount of power. The writers agreed that a citizen’s influence in government would be proportionate to that individual’s property.
Is the purpose of government today, similar to that of philosophers of the past, or has there been a shift in political thought? This essay will argue that according to Machiavelli’s The Prince, the purpose of government is to ensure the stability of the state as well as the preservation of the established ruler’s control, and that the best form of government should take the form of an oligarchy. In contrast, in his book, Leviathan, Thomas Hobbes argues that the purpose of government should be to preserve the peace and security of men and, that the best form of government would be an absolute monarchy which would sanction such conditions. This essay will utilize themes of glory, material advantage, peace and stability to illustrate
An inspection of Aristotle’s table below will reveal some of the fears that were major concerns for the developing American attitudes toward governments. The Author asserts that the forms of government that were in place around the world brought with them a history of that American used to build a better instrument of governance. Another idea that was hidden within Aristotle’s Chart on Government and leads the framers toward a more considered conclusion, is that democracy was the only type of government the world had not tried. This became the impetus for the great experiment.