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A pure democracy is a society consisting of a small number of citizens, who assemble and administer the government in person.

James Madison

In framing a government which is to be administered by men over men you must first enable the government to control the governed; and in the next place oblige it to control itself.
JAMES MADISON

Administered Control Enable First Frame Government Men Over
If we are to take for the criterion of truth the majority of suffrages, they ought to be gotten from those philosophic and patriotic citizens who cultivate their reason.
JAMES MADISON

Criterion Gotten Majority Philosophic Suffrage Take Truth Ught
Where an excess of power prevails, property of no sort is duly respected. No man is safe in his opinions, his person, his faculties, or his possessions.
JAMES MADISON

Duly Excess Power Prevail Property Respect Sort
War contains so much folly, as well as wickedness, that much is to be hoped from the progress of reason.
JAMES MADISON

Contain Folly Hope Progress Reason Well Wickedness
To suppose that any form of government will secure liberty or happiness without any virtue in the people, is a chimerical idea.
JAMES MADISON

Form Government Happiness Liberty People Secure Suppose Virtue
There is no maxim, in my opinion, which is more liable to be misapplied, and which, therefore, more needs elucidation, than the current one, that the interest of the majority is the political standard of right and wrong.
JAMES MADISON

Elucidation Liable Maxim Misappled More Need Opinion Therefore
The purpose of separation of church and state is to keep forever from these shores the ceaseless strife that has soaked the soil of Europe with blood for centuries.
JAMES MADISON

Ceaseless Church Country Dhore Forever Purpose Separation Soak Soil State Strifem
Wherever there is interest and power to do wrong, wrong will generally be done.
JAMES MADISON

Done Generally Interest Power Wrong
The number, the industry, and the morality of the priesthood, and the devotion of the people have been manifestly increased by the total separation of the church from the state.
JAMES MADISON

Devotion Industry Mainfrstly Morality Number People Priesthood
By rendering the labor of one, the property of the other, they cherish pride, luxury, and vanity on one side; on the other, vice and servility, or hatred and revolt.
JAMES MADISON

Cherish Labor Luxury Other Pride Property Render Vanity
A well-instructed people alone can be permanently a free people.
JAMES MADISON

Free Instructed People Permanent Well
The happy Union of these States is a wonder; their Constitution a miracle; their example the hope of Liberty throughout the world.
JAMES MADISON

Constitution Happy Hope Liberty Miracle Wonder
Americans have the right and advantage of being armed – unlike the citizens of other countries whose governments are afraid to trust the people with arms.
JAMES MADISON

Advantage Arm Being Citizen Country Government People Right Trust
That part of America which had encouraged them most had advanced most rapidly in population, agriculture and the arts.
JAMES MADISON

Advance Agriculture Art Country Most Part Population Rapid
What prudent merchant will hazard his fortunes in any new branch of commerce when he knows not that his plans may be rendered unlawful before they can be executed?
JAMES MADISON

Branch Commerce Hazard Merchant Plan Prudent Unlawful
The truth is that all men having power ought to be mistrusted.
JAMES MADISON

All Men Mistrust Ought Power Truth

A pure democracy is a society consisting of a small number of citizens, who assemble and administer the government in person.

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A pure democracy is a society consisting of a small number of citizens, who assemble and administer the government in person.

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