The Federalist #51

"But what is government itself, but the greatest of all reflections on human nature? If men were angels, no government would be necessary. If angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls on government would be necessary. 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. A dependence on the people is, no doubt, the primary control on the government; but experience has taught mankind the necessity of auxiliary precautions."

This passage out of the Federalist Paper #51 makes an interesting connection between mankind and angels. Human nature makes man flawed and conflicted, as where angels are seen as perfection in which government would not be needed. Since humans make mistakes and are not perfect government is needed to keep them in check. Government is supposed to equal order and control. The Federalist Paper #51 also points out that government controls the people but at the same time depends on the people to function. However it also states that even with the control of the governed by the government there is a need for back up procedures to protect both the government and the people.

Choosing this passage came quite easy because of the importance of the structure that is created through federalism, and more importantly the connection between the people (governed) and the government. I believe that many US citizens neglect the power that is bestowed upon them, their civic duty to this country in the form of voting. This passage resonated in my belief of participation of the US population. If humans were able to get along peacefully or run a country without a set framework then it would already be done, but since anarchy only causes chaos and inevitable destruction, government is crucial in the growth and vitality of a nation. To me it is very intriguing that the principles that built this county place the power in the hands of the people, whom then allow a government to preside over them. It is a system which relies heavily on interdependence which makes politics that much more interesting.