"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 governd; 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."

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Added on April 10, 2026
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Original Language: English

Sources

Federalist No. 51 (February 8, 1788).

https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Second_Amendment_to_the_United_States_Constitution