Home > Limited Government Series

Why limited government?

For centuries kings and the “best and the brightest” ruled for the benefit of the “general welfare.” The aristocracy directed economic activity and directed humanity through the king and church to “find its way” in a difficult world.

The result was a world that limited human development to the wisdom of a selected few that were never without corruption in their zeal to serve themselves first. Even in his great wisdom, the mighty King Solomon built to himself “great houses” and took from the people thousands of servants and hundreds of wives to do his bidding.

The American experience is a radical departure from history. Margaret Thatcher said “Europe was created by history. American was created by philosophy.”

What was that American philosophy? It was grounded in the principles of individualism, natural rights, consent, and limited government. Is it currently being trashed and lost?

The individual rather than the state is at the center. Individuals give their consent through their representative states to join a government limited and constrained by The United States Constitution and Bill of Rights. Their consent is contingent upon a government whose purpose is to protect their rights and a government restrained so as not to create “government rights.” Citizens have rights against the state that cannot be infringed. If government violates these rights, the people retain their right to withdraw their consent.

From limited government flows the moral values that (1) freedom allows all to pursue and satisfy their own desires, (2) in a competitive arrangement with nature and others, good results occur, (3) bounty and the good life exist for all, and (4) community arises from self-interested pursuits.

Why is government necessary at all? Not everyone in pursuit of their self-interest will respect the rights of others. Therefore, people consent to a government that is constrained by a constitution to protect their natural rights from the viciousness of others. However, to further protect their rights, America’s founders believed the people must not only constrain government through a constitutional document; but, also take additional precautions to prevent factions and especially factions of the majority from tramping on the minority and during times of crisis, disregarding the constitution and its constraint on government. A Republic with constitutional checks and balances was created to so that “ambition would counteract ambition” to check the institutions of government and protect liberty.

At the heart of liberty and freedom is “limited government.”

Wexford Bob March 2009

JOIN THE COALITION FOR FREE!

The Pennsylvania Coalition for Responsible Government is a network of individuals formed to promote the application of limited government principles. Click here to join today for FREE!