In an essay to the people of New York, Hamilton, describing, explaining and exhorting support of the constitution, in what have become known as the "Federalist Papers", continued earlier parts of his dialogue with these words:
".......On the other hand, it will be equally forgotten that the vigor of government is essential to the security of liberty; that, in contemplation of a sound and well-informed judgement. their interest can never be separated; and that a dangerous ambition more often lurks behind the specious mask of zeal for the rights of the people than under the forbidden appearance of zeal for the firmness and efficiency of government. History will teach us that the former has been a much more certain road to the introduction of despotism than the latter, and that those men who have overturned the liberties of republics, the greatest number have begun their career by paying obsequious court to the people; commencing demagogues and ending tyrants. ................".
Does this remind you of and describe any group of politicians of today? Hamilton knew that those who sought power, power alone, would court the people by pretending to care for them while all the while their goal is to deprive them of their power and liberties. Even in a country which prizes liberty above all else, those who accept unearned favors from government hardly notice, in the beginning, that they have sacrificed their liberty for those "favors". Each of us must answer this question for ourselves. Do we want to be free or, like children, want someone else tell us what is right for us, sacrificing our freedom in the process?
As we can see in events around the world, once lost, freedom is hard to get back.
".......On the other hand, it will be equally forgotten that the vigor of government is essential to the security of liberty; that, in contemplation of a sound and well-informed judgement. their interest can never be separated; and that a dangerous ambition more often lurks behind the specious mask of zeal for the rights of the people than under the forbidden appearance of zeal for the firmness and efficiency of government. History will teach us that the former has been a much more certain road to the introduction of despotism than the latter, and that those men who have overturned the liberties of republics, the greatest number have begun their career by paying obsequious court to the people; commencing demagogues and ending tyrants. ................".
Does this remind you of and describe any group of politicians of today? Hamilton knew that those who sought power, power alone, would court the people by pretending to care for them while all the while their goal is to deprive them of their power and liberties. Even in a country which prizes liberty above all else, those who accept unearned favors from government hardly notice, in the beginning, that they have sacrificed their liberty for those "favors". Each of us must answer this question for ourselves. Do we want to be free or, like children, want someone else tell us what is right for us, sacrificing our freedom in the process?
As we can see in events around the world, once lost, freedom is hard to get back.
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