POLI 101 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Populism
Document Summary
It is of great importance in a republic not only to guard the society against the oppression of its rulers but to guard one part of the society against the injustice of the other part. If a majority be united by a common interest, the rights of the minority will be insecure. The decisions which would probably result from such appeals [to the people directly] would not answer the purpose of maintaining the constitutional equilibrium of the government . The passions, therefore, not the reason, of the public would sit in judgment. But it is the reason, alone, of the public, that ought to control and regulate the government. The passions ought to be controlled and regulated by the government. 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.
