Religious bondage shackles and debilitates the mind, and unfits it for every noble enterprise, every expanded prospect.
— Letters and Other Writings of James Madison Volume 3
If men were angels, no government would be necessary.
Where this quote comes from
Madison wrote this in Federalist No. 51, one of the essays published under the name Publius to argue for the new United States Constitution. The next sentences set out the problem: a government run by people over people must first be able to control the governed, and then be obliged to control itself, which is why he defends checks and balances.
Source: Federalist No. 51, 6 February 1788
Also quoted as
- “It 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. 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.”
- “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. A dependence on the people is, no doubt, the primary control on the government; but experience has taught mankind the necessity of auxiliary precautions.”
- “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.”
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More from James Madison
A well-regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.
— The Constitution of the United States of America
Liberty may be endangered by the abuses of liberty as well as by the abuses of power.
— Federalist Papers By James Madison: Federalist No. 10, Federalist No. 45, Federalist No. 51, Federalist No. 44, Federalist No. 47
Liberty is to faction what air is to fire...
— The Federalist Papers
Measures are too often decided, not according to the rules of justice and the rights of the minor party, but by the superior force of an interested and overbearing majority.
— the tenth Federalist Paper
Religious bondage shackles and debilitates the mind and unfits it for every noble enterprise.... During almost fifteen centuries has the legal establishment of Christianity been on trial. What have been its fruits? More or less, in all places, pride and indolence in the clergy; ignorance and servility in laity; in both, superstition, bigotry, and persecution.
— A Memorial and Remonstrance, on the Religious Rights of Man: Written in 1784-85