Separation Of Powers Quotes

• The accumulation of all powers, legislative, executive, and judiciary, in the same hands, whether of one, a few, or many, and whether hereditary, selfappointed, or elective, may justly be pronounced the very definition of tyranny.

  James Madison

  Government, Hands, Independent Judiciary

  The Federalist no. 47 (1788)

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• No country can be called free which is governed by an absolute power; and it matters not whether it be an absolute royal power or an absolute legislative power, as the consequences will be the same to the people.

  Thomas Paine

  Country, People, Matter

  Thomas Paine, John P. Kaminski (2002). “Citizen Paine: Thomas Paine's Thoughts on Man, Government, Society, and Religion”, p.81, Rowman & Littlefield

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• Governments without separation of powers commit the worst crimes.

  James Cook

  Government, Separation, Crime

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• The necessity of reciprocal checks in the exercise of political power, by dividing and distributing it into different depositories, and constituting each the guardian of the public weal against invasions by the others, has been evinced by experiments ancient and modern, some of them in our country and under our own eyes.

  George Washington

  Country, Eye, Exercise

  George Washington, Jared Sparks (1838). “The Writings of George Washington: Being His Correspondence, Addresses, Messages, and Other Papers, Official and Private”, p.226

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• But constant experience shows us that every man invested with power is apt to abuse it, and to carry his authority as far as it will go.

  Baron de Montesquieu

  Men, Abuse, Authority

  Charles de Secondat, Baron de Montesquieu (2015). “The Spirit of Laws”, p.205, Library of Alexandria

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• The principle of the Constitution is that of a separation of legislative, Executive and Judiciary functions, except in cases specified. If this principle be not expressed in direct terms, it is clearly the spirit of the Constitution, and it ought to be so commented and acted on by every friend of free government.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Government, Principles, Spirit

  Thomas Jefferson, Barbara B. Oberg (1950). “The Papers of Thomas Jefferson, Volume 29: 1 March 1796 to 31 December 1797”, p.271, Princeton University Press

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• Under the doctrine of separation of powers, the manner in which the president personally exercises his assigned executive powers is not subject to questioning by another branch of government.

  Richard M. Nixon

  Exercise, Government, President

  Nixon, Richard M. (1975). “Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: Richard M. Nixon, 1973”, p.185, Best Books on

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• A constitution defines and limits the powers of the government it creates. It therefore follows, as a natural and also a logical result, that the governmental exercise of any power not authorized by the constitution is an assumed power, and therefore illegal.

  Thomas Paine

  Exercise, Government, Limits

  Thomas Paine, John P. Kaminski (2002). “Citizen Paine: Thomas Paine's Thoughts on Man, Government, Society, and Religion”, p.69, Rowman & Littlefield

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• [T]he great security against a gradual concentration of the several powers in the same department consists in giving to those who administer each department the necessary constitutional means and personal motives to resist encroachment of the others.

  James Madison

  Mean, Giving, Separation

  The Federalist no. 51 (1788)

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• A question arises whether all the powers of government, legislative, executive, and judicial, shall be left in this body? I think a people cannot be long free, nor ever happy, whose government is in one Assembly.

  John Adams

  Thinking, Government, Long

  John Adams (1851). “The Works of John Adams, Second President of the United States: With a Life of the Author, Notes and Illustrations”, p.195

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• The basic premise of the Constitution was a separation of powers and a system of checks and balances because man was perceived as a fallen creature and would always yearn for more power.

  Roy Moore

  Men, Balance, Constitution

  "Defender of the Decalogue". Interview With Thomas R. Eddlem, www.thenewamerican.com. December 16, 2002.

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• The same rule that teaches the propriety of a partition between the various branches of power, teaches us likewise that this partition ought to be so contrived as to render the one independent of the other.

  Alexander Hamilton

  Independent, Branches, Separation

  Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, John Jay, Henry Barton Dawson (1864). “The Fœderalist: A Collection of Essays, Written in Favor of the New Constitution, as Agreed Upon by the Fœderal Convention, September 17, 1787. Reprinted from the Original Text. With an Historical Introduction and Notes”, p.499, New York : C. Scribner ; London : Sampson Low

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• If men were angels, no government would be necessary.

  James Madison

  Adversity, Angel, Men

  The Federalist no. 51 (1788)

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• The spirit of encroachment tends to consolidate the powers of all the departments in one, and thus to create whatever the form of government, a real despotism. A just estimate of that love of power, and proneness to abuse it, which predominates in the human heart is sufficient to satisfy us of the truth of this position.

  George Washington

  Real, Heart, Government

  George Washington, Andrew Jackson (1862). “Washington's Farewell Address: The Proclamation of Jackson Against Nullification, and the Declaration of Independence”, p.8

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• An elective despotism was not the government we fought for, but one which should not only be founded on true free principles, but in which the powers of government should be so divided and balanced among general bodies of magistracy, as that no one could transcend their legal limits without being effectually checked and restrained by the others.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Government, Liberty, Principles

  "Notes on the State of Virginia". Book by Thomas Jefferson, Query XIII, 1781.

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• I believe in the separation of powers. If a judge crosses the line between interpreting and making the law, he has crossed the line supporting his legitimate authority from the legislative branch's authority. Now, to me that's a very serious matter if we believe, as America's founders, did that the separation of powers - not just in theory or in textbook but in practice in the actual functioning of government - is the linchpin of limited government and liberty.

  Orrin Hatch

  Believe, Judging, Liberty

  Source: www.washingtonpost.com

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• An elective despotism was not the government we fought for.

  Thomas Jefferson

  4th Of July, Government, Liberty

  Thomas Jefferson, Richard Holland Johnston, Thomas Jefferson Memorial Association of the United States “The Writings of Thomas Jefferson”

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• What is government itself but the greatest of all reflections on human nature?

  James Madison

  Reflection, Government, Human Nature

  1788 The Federalist, Jan.

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• The separation of powers is about legislative powers. It isn't about discussion or words.

  Rand Paul

  Separation, Discussion

  Source: abcnews.go.com

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• There is no reason to have problems between country and country, between government and government, when there is a separation of powers.

  Ricardo Lagos

  Country, Government, Separation

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• In the main it will be found that a power over a man's support [salary] is a power over his will.

  Alexander Hamilton

  Power, Men, Support

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• America's greatness is due in no small measure to our system of government, in which power and authority are deliberately divided. The separation of powers is not a mere "technicality." It is the centerpiece of our Constitution. Our freedoms depend upon it in the future, just as they have in the past.

  Richard Allen Epstein

  Past, Greatness, Government

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• A dependence on the people is, no doubt, the primary control on the government; but experience has taught mankind the necessity of auxiliary precautions.

  James Madison

  Government, People, Doubt

  James Madison, Ralph Ketcham “Selected Writings of James Madison”, Hackett Publishing

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• And one of the frustrating parts, but it's an inherent part of our democracy, is we have separation of powers.

  George Pataki

  Democracy, Separation, Frustrating

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• The legitimate powers of government extend to such acts only as are injurious to others.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Religious, Government, Political

  Thomas Jefferson (1854). “The Writings of Thomas Jefferson: Inaugural addresses and messages. Replies to public addresses. Indian addresses. Miscellaneous: 1. Notes on Virginia; 2. Biographical sketches of distinguished men; 3. The batture of New Orleans”, p.400

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