David C. Hendrickson Quotes

The constitution is a sacred document in a democracy.

Democracy is the only system that persists in asking the powers that be whether they are the powers that ought to be.

If the people be governors, who shall be governed?

As force is always on the side of the governed, the governors have nothing to support them but opinion. It is therefore, on opinion only that government is founded; and this maxim extends to the most despotic and most military governments, as well as the most free and the most popular.

Government is force.

All governments must maintain power by consent. Not by coercion.

Government should fear the people, not the other way around.

When a government for the people becomes a government in spite of the people, then who are we really serving?

The civilized world needs to think about a decision when single politicians are not allowed to stay in power.

The only legitimate right to govern is an express grant of power from the governed.

I think we Americans, of all people, understand the importance of a good, legal, constitutional framework as the basis of political life.

A government is not legitimate merely because it exists.

The essence of a free government consists in an effectual control of rivalries.

President Bush has said that he does not need approval from the UN to wage war, and I'm thinking, well, hell, he didn't need the approval of the American voters to become president, either.

All governments must maintain power through consent, not coercion.

Laws are important precisely because in a democracy they reflect the attitudes and aspirations of those they govern.

We need a strong state but we need a democratic one.

The first line of the U. S. Constitution is “We the people” … in thriving democracies any time that any player takes a key decision that ignores or evades “We the people” he violates the spirit of democracy and condemns himself to illegitimacy.

The authority of the people is a necessary foundation for a constitution

In no form of government is there an absolute identity of interest between the people and their rulers

The world doesn't understand the system here. The authority of the people. You don't understand it.

We are a democracy: there are enough checks and balances in our country, and we have an impeccable record of not contributing in any way to nuclear proliferation.

Democratic government is difficult. It is much more difficult than populists claim. It's not like running a business or a police force. It demands compromise.

What is this thing we call government? Is it anything but organized violence? The law orders you to obey, and if you don't obey, it will compel you by force - all governments, all law and authority finally rest on force and violence, on punishment or fear of punishment.

Some writers have so confounded society with government, as to leave little or no distinction between them; whereas they are not only different, but have different origins ... Society is in every state a blessing, but Government, even in its best state, is but a necessary evil; in its worst state, an intolerable one.