Joseph Alden

Alden's Citizen's Manual. a Text-Book on Government, for Common Schools. Joseph Alden

Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: 28. What, then, is the relation between liberty and law? The perfection of law would secure the perfection of liberty. CHAPTER III. DESPOTISM. ? FREE GOVERNMENT. ? EIGHT AND DUTY OP SELF-GOVERNMENT. 1. What is a despotic government f A government in which the rulers exercise irresponsible power. 2. May a republican government be despotic f Those intrusted with power by the people may, for a time, use that power in a despotic manner. 3. What is the remedy in such a case f The remedy is found in the ballot-box. Other men must be elected to wield the powers of government. 4. What is a military despotism ? Government by a military despot whose will is the sole law. 5. What is a free government ? A government of laws securing liberty. 6. May not an absolute despot make wise and just laws f He may. 7. Would not such laws secure liberty? They would for the time being; but there would be no security for their continuance. 8. Why would there be no security ? Because they would depend upon the will of one man, whose will might change at any moment. 9. Is government by the people necessarily a free government ? Not necessarily; for the people, or a majority of them, may construct a government which will not secure liberty. 10. Save the people a right to govern themselves? It is both their right and duty to govern themselves wisely and righteously. 11. How have governments often originated? In fraud and force, and not in the consent of the people governed. 12. May such governments become legitimate f They may. 13. How may they become legitimate ? Only by becoming good governments, and receiving either the express or the tacit consent of the people. 14. What do you mean by a legitimate government ? A lawful gov...