Article V and Rational Revolution
Must revolution be violent? Must revolution upend an older society and replace it with a new one? Wouldn’t a 21st century restoration of free American government without resort to violence… Read more »
Tag: Corruption
On Corruption and Government – Introduction
Where there is government there is corruption. Corruption is a broad term. Perhaps in its simplest meaning it is just a departure from an original design. Various federal statutes set… Read more »
Article V to Avoid a General Convention, or Worse
From a study of the debates at the 1787 Federal Convention and contemporary discussion in the States, our Framers anticipated Article V would be employed far more often than has… Read more »
Publius Huldah vs. Article V: Part V
Publius Huldah. Near 30:30 minutes into her speech, Ms. Huldah posits that James Madison opposed the state convention method in Article V. She cites The Federalist #49, and a private… Read more »
Scotus and Societal Corruption
A common concern among Article V opponents is that society is too corrupt to be trusted with amending the Constitution. Perhaps they are right. If so, how did this corruption… Read more »
Article V and The Machiavellian Moment
Through a series of lessons arranged in three Books, the thrust of Niccolo’ Machiavelli‘s Discourses on Livy deals with how nations in general, and republics in particular, can design, keep,… Read more »
Montesquieu’s Quips on Corruption
Not forty years after publication of Montesquieu’s great work, The Spirit of the Laws, our framing statesmen would combine their experiences with Montesquieu’s (and others) philosophy, and draft a Constitution…. Read more »
Montesquieu on the Corruption of Republics
The corruption of republics typically begins with corruption of its principles. In this squib, Charles de Montesquieu* could equally describe America’s corruption of separation of powers and embrace of populism…. Read more »
A Constitution Gone Wrong
On the eve of troubles with George III in the 1760s, His Majesty’s subjects on the North American continent regarded themselves among the luckiest people on earth. Charles De Montesquieu… Read more »
Cato’s Letter #16: The Leaders of Parties, Their Usual Views . . . *
The full title to this letter from 1720 doesn’t do justice to its content: how the fallen nature of men is concentrated once they become politicians. The outcome of party… Read more »