The best government is that which governs least. No human depositories can, with safety, be trusted with the power of legislation upon the general interests of society so as to operate directly or indirectly on the industry and property of the community. Such power must be perpetually liable to the most pernicious abuse, from the natural imperfection, both in wisdom of judgment and purity of purpose, of all human legislation, exposed constantly to the pressure of partial interests; interests which, at the same time that they are essentially selfish and tyrannical, are ever vigilant, persevering, and subtle in all the arts of deception and corruption.
In fact, the whole history of human society and government may be safely appealed to, in evidence that the abuse of such power a thousand fold more than overbalances its beneficial use. Legislation has been the fruitful parent of nine-tenths of all the evil, moral and physical, by which mankind has been afflicted since the creation of the world, and by which human nature has been self-degraded, fettered, and oppressed.
Government should have as little as possible to do with the general business and interests of the people. It will be perpetually tampering with private interests, and sending forth seeds of corruption which will result in the demoralization of the society. Its domestic action should be confined to the administration of justice, for the protection of the natural equal rights of the citizen and the preservation of social order.
The natural laws which will establish themselves and find their own level are the best laws. The same hand was the Author of the moral, as of the physical world; and we feel clear and strong in the assurance that we cannot err in trusting, in the former, to the same fundamental principles of spontaneous action and self-regulation which produce the beautiful order of the latter.
Reprinted from the Washington Post. Eugene Volokh teaches free speech law, religious freedom law, church-state relations law, a First Amendment Amicus Brief Clinic, and tort law, at UCLA School of Law, where he has also often taught copyright law, criminal law, and a seminar on firearms regulation policy. Please, enable JavaScript and reload the page to enjoy our modern features. Disobedience can have a variety of causes.
At times, it is due to unreasonable parental expectations. The violent versus nonviolent nature of civil disobedience is still debated, so those historians who believe violence is acceptable may consider the destruction of tea an act of civil disobedience.
According to this definition, the Boston Tea Party was not civil disobedience because of the destruction of property. The event was the first major act of defiance to British rule over the colonists.
Begin typing your search term above and press enter to search. Press ESC to cancel. Skip to content Home Who said that the best government was the one that governed least? Ben Davis May 13, Who said that the best government was the one that governed least? Who wrote lives of quiet desperation?
0コメント