{"id":83,"date":"2012-03-03T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2012-03-03T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/empowernetwork.com\/bmiller\/introduction-to-the-constitution-separation-of-powers-and-limited-government\/"},"modified":"2026-07-27T03:00:03","modified_gmt":"2026-07-27T03:00:03","slug":"introduction-to-the-constitution-separation-of-powers-and-limited-government","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/empowernetwork.com\/bmiller\/introduction-to-the-constitution-separation-of-powers-and-limited-government\/","title":{"rendered":"Introduction to the Constitution \u2013 Separation of Powers and Limited Government"},"content":{"rendered":"

Introduction to the Constitution on separation of powers and limited government<\/span> presented by Hillsdale College, lecturer President Arnu.<\/span><\/h2>\n

This lecture #3 of the Introduction to the Constitution on the separation of powers and limited government<\/strong> was very challenging.<\/p>\n

It again emphasized the elements first mentioned in the first lecture covering the Declaration of Independence \u2014 nature and equal, tying them into the three \u2013 representation, separation of powers and limited government<\/em>.<\/p>\n

The Constitution shapes our behavior and, therefore, our lives.\u00a0 We need a representative government in order to have separation of powers<\/span>.\u00a0 The three branches of government can be equal in strength because of the sovereignty of the individuals, the people.<\/p>\n

Separation of Powers<\/span><\/h3>\n

We need to understand Federalism as an overall strength of separation of powers<\/strong>. James Madison said in the Federalist papers \u201cThe passions, therefore, not the reason, of the public would sit in judgment.\u00a0 But it is the reason, alone of the public, that ought to control and regulate the government.\u00a0 The passions ought to be controlled and regulated by the government.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

In other words, the sovereigns, being the individuals, delegate authority to all branches.\u00a0 Most government until well into the 20th<\/sup> century was state and local.\u00a0 They controlled education and services such as garbage collection, etc.\u00a0 The federal government was in charge of defense, a national system of operation and free commerce, and had the ability to speak for the nation around the world.<\/p>\n

When the framers wrote the Constitution, the states were afraid of losing their place in government.\u00a0 In the beginning each state\u2019s senate elected two senators to represent their state.\u00a0 The belief was that those elected senators would not pass anything the state legislature back home didn\u2019t like. This created a check on the size of the federal government.<\/p>\n

This selection of senators by the states was changed in 1913. (If you are interested in researching more on the Senate, this website<\/span><\/span> will be helpful. )<\/p>\n

In the constitution the framers believed that the way to safeguard against tyranny is to separate the powers of government among three branches so each branch checks the other two.\u00a0 Each branch of government has powers over the other.\u00a0 It follows that compromise and cooperation is needed to properly govern.<\/p>\n

If any and all items in the Constitution are to be questioned and the people allowed to figure it out that they can challenge all elements, they will come to believe they can easily change it.\u00a0 As framed, no group would have the ability to control the many.\u00a0 It takes time!\u00a0 Usually at least three elections, because the terms of service overlap in the Senate at least.<\/p>\n

Limited Government<\/span><\/p>\n

It was the belief of the founders that those in power would abuse it.\u00a0 Again, Madison wrote \u201cAmbition must be made to counteract ambition.\u00a0 The interest of the man must be connected with the constitutional rights of the place.\u00a0 It may be a reflection on human nature, that such devices should be necessary to control the abuses of government.\u00a0 But what is government itself, but the greatest of all reflections on human nature?\u00a0 If men were angels, no government would be necessary.\u00a0 If angels were to govern, neither external nor internal controls on government would be necessary.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

President Arnu said \u201cthat is an echo of the appearance of God in the Declaration.\u201d \u00a0 Madison was reminding men what angels are like \u2013 that men are to have humility and remember to have determination to place one\u2019s self in the right as it would appear to the eyes of God. We are not angelic beings, but among the earthly beings the most angelic. We are to remember the difference between men and angels and to respect that distinction.<\/p>\n

Arnu quotes Abraham Lincoln saying \u201cAuthor<\/em> (meaning God) of man makes every individual with one head and one pair of hands, it was probably intended that heads and hands should cooperate as friends, and that that particular head, should direct and control that particular pair of hands.\u00a0 . . . . . that each head is the natural guardian, director, and protector of the hands and mouth inseparably connected with it and that being so, every head should be cultivated, and improved, by whatever will add to its capacity for performing its charge.\u00a0 In one word Free Labor insists on universal education.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

In other words, the best person to feed you is you, and next your mother.\u00a0 They were to build a society to care.\u00a0 That did not involve a centralized rule making body in central government.\u00a0 This was considered constitutional and through these devices the government would be more God-like \u2013 more angelic, because the devices were there to honor and strengthen the better parts of our nature.<\/p>\n

Pres. Arnu said it is crucial to understand the Constitution\u2019s devices.\u00a0 There was and is a difference in understanding of these devices, a nature to discard the separation of powers as a device of government.\u00a0 And that is very far along toward being accomplished today, especially in the regulatory agencies.\u00a0 They typically act as all three areas of government over the policies they govern.<\/p>\n

Representation makes possible but also depends on limited government<\/span>.\u00a0 Put another way, the sovereign need to be large and independent body, self-reliant, presenting not as petitioners but as citizens.<\/p>\n

President Kennedy said in his inaugural speech \u201cAsk not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 In earlier times most of what was done for the people was voluntary by the citizenry.\u00a0 Today it is a very \u201ctop down\u201d hierarchy \u2013 an invention or creation some thought with good reason.<\/p>\n

The framers wished to protect private property.\u00a0 (Hardly the case today!)<\/p>\n

President Arnu read from Democracy in America<\/span> by Alexis de Toequeville.\u00a0 Although lengthy, I believe it is valuable and sums up this particular study.\u00a0 de Toequeville wrote \u201cThe European generally submits to a public officer because he represents a superior force; but to an American he represents a right.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

(Arnu said we think that public officer works for us \u2013 is here to defend our rights.)<\/p>\n

de Toequeville continued\u00a0 \u201cIn America it may be said that no one renders obedience to man, but to justice and to law.\u00a0 If the opinion which the citizen entertains of himself is exaggerated, it is at least salutary:\u00a0 he unhesitatingly confides in his own powers, which appear to him to be all-sufficient.\u00a0 When a private individual meditates an undertaking, however directly connected it may be with the welfare of society, he never things of soliciting the cooperation of the Government: but he publishes his plan, offers to execute it himself, courts the assistance of other individuals, and struggles manfully against all obstacles.\u00a0 Undoubtedly he is often less successful than the State might have been in his position; but in the end, the sum of these private undertakings far exceeds all that the Government could effect.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Arnu asked is we are afraid of the government today.\u00a0 If you are in business and regulated, are you fearful of the government?<\/p>\n

James Madison and Thomas Jefferson said that we can\u2019t understand our country if we don\u2019t study the government.\u00a0 Indeed this is the reason all students at Hillsdale College are required to study the Constitution.<\/p>\n

I hope you have found this rendering of the 3rd<\/sup> lecture in the series on the Introduction to the Constitution \u2013 Separation of Powers and Limited Government<\/strong> \u2013 to be interesting and look forward to following the next one.<\/p>\n

Bobbi Miller<\/p>\n

Entrepreneur<\/p>\n

P.S.\u00a0 Comments and likes are always welcome.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Introduction to the Constitution on separation of powers and limited government presented by Hillsdale College, lecturer President Arnu. This lecture #3 of the Introduction to the Constitution on the separation of powers and limited government was very challenging. It again emphasized the elements first mentioned in the first lecture covering the Declaration of Independence \u2014 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":592,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4,5,6,7,8,14,19,13],"tags":[161,35,162,163,164],"class_list":["post-83","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-bible-study","category-current-events","category-empower-network","category-favorite-recipes","category-featured","category-health-wellness","category-holidays","category-human-interest-stories","tag-constitution","tag-hillsdale-college","tag-james-madison","tag-limited-government","tag-separation-of-powers"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/empowernetwork.com\/bmiller\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/83","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/empowernetwork.com\/bmiller\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/empowernetwork.com\/bmiller\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/empowernetwork.com\/bmiller\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/592"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/empowernetwork.com\/bmiller\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=83"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/empowernetwork.com\/bmiller\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/83\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":91,"href":"https:\/\/empowernetwork.com\/bmiller\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/83\/revisions\/91"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/empowernetwork.com\/bmiller\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=83"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/empowernetwork.com\/bmiller\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=83"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/empowernetwork.com\/bmiller\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=83"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}