Checks and balances

Explore 9 quotes about Checks and balances

Enlightened statesmen will not always be at the helm.

James Madison

Federalist 10

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Topic

Political leadership Checks and balances Political theory Politics

Author

James Madison

Source

Federalist 10 The Federalist Papers

Medium

Essay

Genre

Political literature

Language

English

Time

1787 1780s 18th century

Era

American Revolutionary Period

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Madison, James [published as Publius]. "Federalist No. 10: The Same Subject Continued: The Union as a Safeguard Against Domestic Faction and Insurrection." Daily Advertiser, 22 Nov. 1787.

Current Citation

Madison, James. "No. 10: An extensive republic a remedy for mischiefs of faction.--Madison." The Federalist: A Commentary on the Constitution of the United States, edited by Robert Scigliano. The Modern Library, 2001.

Ambition must be made to counteract ambition.

James Madison

Federalist 51

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Topic

Checks and balances Separation of powers Political theory Politics

Author

James Madison

Source

Federalist 51 The Federalist Papers

Medium

Essay

Genre

Political literature

Language

English

Time

1788 1780s 18th century

Era

American Revolutionary Period

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Madison, James [published as Publius]. "Federalist No. 51, The Structure of the Government Must Furnish the Proper Checks and Balances Between the Different Departments." New York Packet, 8 Feb. 1788.

Current Citation

Madison, James. "No. 51: How to maintain: make the parts check each other. Also, a federal system divides power further.--Madison (or Hamilton)." The Federalist: A Commentary on the Constitution of the United States, edited by Robert Scigliano. The Modern Library, 2001.

It 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 Madison

Federalist 48

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Topic

Nature of power Power Checks and balances Political theory Politics

Author

James Madison

Source

Federalist 48 The Federalist Papers

Medium

Essay

Genre

Political literature

Language

English

Time

1788 1780s 18th century

Era

American Revolutionary Period

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Madison, James [published as Publius]. "Federalist No. 48: These Departments Should Not Be So Far Separated as to Have No Constitutional Control Over Each Other." New York Packet, 1 Feb. 1788.

Current Citation

Madison, James. "No. 48: Some blending of powers is necessary.--Madison." The Federalist: A Commentary on the Constitution of the United States, edited by Robert Scigliano. The Modern Library, 2001.

The 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 Madison

Federalist 51

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More information about this quote

Topic

Checks and balances Separation of powers Political theory Politics

Author

James Madison

Source

Federalist 51 The Federalist Papers

Medium

Essay

Genre

Political literature

Language

English

Time

1788 1780s 18th century

Era

American Revolutionary Period

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Madison, James [published as Publius]. "Federalist No. 51, The Structure of the Government Must Furnish the Proper Checks and Balances Between the Different Departments." New York Packet, 8 Feb. 1788.

Current Citation

Madison, James. "No. 51: How to maintain: make the parts check each other. Also, a federal system divides power further.--Madison (or Hamilton)." The Federalist: A Commentary on the Constitution of the United States, edited by Robert Scigliano. The Modern Library, 2001.

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.

James Madison

Federalist 51

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Read Federalist No. 51 at the Library of Congress website

More information about this quote

Topic

Constitutional theory Checks and balances Political theory Politics

Author

James Madison

Source

Federalist 51 The Federalist Papers

Medium

Essay

Genre

Political literature

Language

English

Time

1788 1780s 18th century

Era

American Revolutionary Period

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Madison, James [published as Publius]. "Federalist No. 51, The Structure of the Government Must Furnish the Proper Checks and Balances Between the Different Departments." New York Packet, 8 Feb. 1788.

Current Citation

Madison, James. "No. 51: How to maintain: make the parts check each other. Also, a federal system divides power further.--Madison (or Hamilton)." The Federalist: A Commentary on the Constitution of the United States, edited by Robert Scigliano. The Modern Library, 2001.

An 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 Madison

Federalist 48

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More information about this quote

Topic

Checks and balances Separation of powers Political theory Politics

Author

James Madison

Source

Federalist 48 The Federalist Papers

Medium

Essay

Genre

Political literature

Language

English

Time

1788 1780s 18th century

Era

American Revolutionary Period

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Madison, James [published as Publius]. "Federalist No. 48: These Departments Should Not Be So Far Separated as to Have No Constitutional Control Over Each Other." New York Packet, 1 Feb. 1788.

Current Citation

Madison, James. "No. 48: Some blending of powers is necessary.--Madison." The Federalist: A Commentary on the Constitution of the United States, edited by Robert Scigliano. The Modern Library, 2001.

In every political society, parties are unavoidable. A difference of interests, real or supposed is the most natural and fruitful source of them...the great art of politicians lies in making them checks and balances to each other.

James Madison

Parties

More information about this quote

Topic

Political parties Checks and balances Political theory

Author

James Madison

Source

Parties The National Gazette

Medium

Essay Newspaper

Genre

Political literature

Language

English

Time

1792 1790s 18th century

Authentication Score 3

Original Citation

Madison, James "Parties." The National Gazette. 23 Jan. 1792.

Current Citation

Madison, James. "Political Essays: Charters and Parties; January 19 and 23, 1792." Selected Writings of James Madison, edited by Ralph Ketcham. Hackett Publishing Company, 2006.

The judicial power ought to be distinct from both the legislative and the executive, and independent upon both, that so it may be a check upon both, as both should be checks upon that.

John Adams

More information about this quote

Topic

Checks and balances Political theory American politics Politics

Author

John Adams

Source

Thoughts on Government, Applicable to the Present State of the American Colonies

Medium

Pamphlet

Genre

Political literature

Language

English

Time

1776 1770s 18th century

Era

American Revolutionary Period

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Adams, John. Thoughts on Government, Applicable to the Present State of the American Colonies. Philadelphia: John Dunlap, 1776.

Current Citation

Adams, John. "Thoughts on Government, Applicable to the Present State of the American Colonies, April 1776." John Adams: Revolutionary Writings 1775-1783, edited by Gordon S. Wood. Library of America, 2011.

A majority held in restraint by constitutional checks and limitations, and always changing easily with deliberate changes of popular opinions and sentiments, is the only true sovereign of a free people. Whoever rejects it does, of necessity, fly to anarchy or to despotism.

Abraham Lincoln

First Inaugural Address of Abraham Lincoln

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More information about this quote

Topic

Majority rule Checks and balances Minority rights Political theory

Speaker

Abraham Lincoln

Source

First Inaugural Address of Abraham Lincoln Presidential inaugural address

Medium

Speech

Genre

Political speech

Language

English

Time

1861 1860s 19th century

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Lincoln, Abraham. "First Inaugural Address." 4 Mar. 1861, East Portico, US Capitol Building, Washington, DC, USA.

Current Citation

Lincoln, Abraham. "First Inaugral Address, March 4, 1861." Abraham Lincoln: Speeches and Writings 1859-1865, edited by Don E. Fehrenbacher. Library of America, 2018.