Thursday, April 25, 2024
Miles from the Mainstream
D. R. ZUKERMAN, proprietor
Citing the Federalist

MAY 28, 2004 --

George F. Will preceded his May 26 Washington Post column with this quote from Federalist No. 51, attributed to James Madison: "The interest of the man must be connected with the constitutional rights of the place."

Will's last paragraph included this:

"You must first,' Madison said in Federalist 51, 'enable the government to control the governed; and in the next place, oblige it to control itself."

The column, called "Mr. Madision's War," in the Post, suggested that the essence of the speech given by President Bush, May 24, was about establishing a viable government in Iraq-- as the aim of the Federalist Papers was to get support for a viable federal/national government here, in 1787, with ratification of the then-proposed constitution drafted in Philadelphia, the spring and summer of 1787. (We did that drafting by ourselves, though, didn't we?)

Perhaps, however, No. 51 was primarily concerned about accumulation of too much power in a single office, and of protecting "the society against the oppression of its rulers," and also guarding against injustice of one part of society on another part.

The quotes used by Will appear in No. 51 in the following paragraph:

"But the great security against a gradual concentration of the several powers in the same department, consists in giving to those who administer each department the necesssary constitutional means and personal motives to resist encroachments of the others. The provision for defence must in this, as in all other cases, be made commensurate to the danger of attack. Ambition must be made to counteract ambition. The interest of the man must be connected with the constitutional rights of the place. It may be a reflection of 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. A dependence on the people is, no doubt, the primary control on the government; but experience has taught

mankind the necessity of auxiliary precautions."

No. 51 goes on to note, among other things: "In republican government, the legislative authority necessarily predominates." What would Madison have to say about a predominating presidency, today?

As this writer reads No. 51, Madison's aim was shielding the people from oppression-- at the hands of government and at the hands of powerful elements in society. "In a free government the security for civil rights must be the same as that for religious rights. "This statement appears in the concluding passage of No. 51 which, a bit further on, observes: "Justice 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."

The aim, it seems, in No. 51, is liberty-- with viable government the means, recognizing the need of the people to be vigilant against threats upon their liberty at the hands of others in society-- and government. Madison, in No. 51, saw "security" dependent on "the number of interests and sects... and number of people comprehended under... a government which will protect all parties, the weaker as well as the more powerful." No. 51 also notes, in the concluding passage, "In the extended republic of the United States, and among the great variety of interests, parties, and sects which it embraces, a coalition of a majority of the whole society could seldom take place on any other principles than those of justice and the general good..."

Okay. Can this happen in Iraq? Is this desired by the people of Iraq? Should Federalist 51 be translated and distributed throughout Iraq?

* * *

LPR did not catch all of Ralph Nader's appearance on ABC's "This Week with George Stephanopoulos," May 23, but it did hear some comments that appeared somewhat testy towards the Government of Israel. LPR does not recall if Al Gore, in the 2000 race challenged Nader's coolness towards Israel. Indeed, had Nader participated in the debates and been challenged to state his views on Israel, might Al Gore have gotten more votes in Florida?

LPR wonders what Senator John F. Kerry has to say about Ralph Nader's apparent view that we distance ourselves from Israel.