Category Archives: First Principles

First Principles: Constitutions For Free Persons Should Aim At Common Advantage of the Community

Posted on May 9, 2019 by alohapromisesforever

“Constitutions which aim at the common advantage are correct and just without qualification, whereas those which aim only at the advantage of the rulers are deviant and unjust, because they involve despotic rule, which is inappropriate for a community of … Continue reading →

Posted in First Principles | Tagged Aim, Aristotle, Common Advantage, Community, Constitution, Correct, Despotic, Deviant, First Principles, Free Persons, Politics, Qualification, Rulers, Unjust | Leave a comment

First Principles: Sound Economics Is Based On the Advantages of Self-Interest Not Appeals To Humanity

Posted on May 8, 2019 by alohapromisesforever

“It is not from the benevolence of the butcher, the brewer, or the baker, that we expect our dinner, but from their regard to their own interest. We address ourselves, not to their humanity but to their self-love, and never … Continue reading →

Posted in First Principles | Tagged Adam Smith, Advantage, Baker, Benevolence, Brewer, Butcher, Dinner, First Principles, Humanity, Inquiry Into the Nature and Cause of the Wealth of Nations, Necessities, Regard, Self Interest, Self-Love | Leave a comment

First Principles: Civil Liberty Understood Consists In Protecting Individual Rights Through Society’s Constraints and Force

Posted on May 7, 2019 by alohapromisesforever

“Civil liberty, rightly understood, consists in protecting the rights of individuals by the united force of society: society cannot be maintained, and of course can exert no protection, without obedience to some sovereign power; and obedience is an empty name, … Continue reading →

Posted in First Principles | Tagged Civil Liberty, Commentaries on the Laws of England, Empty, First Principles, Individual Rights, Obedience, Protection, Sir William Blackstone, Society, Sovereign Power, Understood, United Force | Leave a comment

First Principles: The End of Law Is To Preserve and Enlarge Freedom

Posted on May 6, 2019 by alohapromisesforever

“The end of law is not to abolish or restrain, but to preserve and enlarge freedom.” – John Locke

Posted in First Principles | Tagged Abolish, End of Law, Enlarge, First Principles, Freedom, Goal, John Locke, Preserve, Restrain | Leave a comment

First Principles: Those Who Think Themselves Unaccountable Will Act Unaccountable and All Persons Would Be Unaccountable If They Could

Posted on May 5, 2019 by alohapromisesforever

“It is nothing strange, that men, who think themselves unaccountable, should act unaccountably, and that all men would be unaccountable if they could.” – John Trenchard and Thomas Gordon, Cato’s Letters

Posted in First Principles | Tagged Act, All, Cato's Letters, Could, First Principles, John Trenchard, Men, Strange, Think, Thomas Gordon, Unaccountable | Comments Off

First Principles: No National Church Should Be Established

Posted on May 4, 2019 by alohapromisesforever

“All religions united with government are more or less inimical to liberty. All, separated from government, are compatible with liberty.” – Henry Clay, statesman and orator (12 Apr 1777-1852) Clay was really from the second generation of the Republic, but, … Continue reading →

Posted in First Principles | Tagged Compatible, First Principles, Government, Henry Clay, Inimical, Liberty, Religion, Separate, United | Leave a comment

First Principles: The Governing Maxim In Interpreting the Law Is To Discover the Meaning of Those Who Made It

Posted on May 3, 2019 by alohapromisesforever

“The first and governing maxim in the interpretation of a statute is, to discover the meaning of those, who made it. The first rule, subservient to the principle of the governing maxim, is, to discover what the law was, before … Continue reading →

Posted in First Principles | Tagged Discover, First Principles, Governing Maxim, Interpretation, James Wilson, Law, Meaning, Rule, Statute, Subservient | Leave a comment

First Principles: Liberty Is Not Easily Surrendered Where Knowledge Is Diffused and Virtue Is Preserved

Posted on May 2, 2019 by alohapromisesforever

“No people will tamely surrender their Liberties, nor can any be easily subdued, when knowledge is diffusd and Virtue is preservd.” – Samuel Adams (1775)

Posted in First Principles | Tagged First Principles, Freely Given, Knowledge, Liberty, Preserved, Samuel Adams, Subdue, Surrender, The People, Virtue | Leave a comment

First Principles: It Is An Object of Primary Importance That Public Opinion Be Enlightened Through Education

Posted on May 1, 2019 by alohapromisesforever

“Promote then, as an object of primary importance, institutions for the general diffusion of knowledge. In proportion as the structure of a government gives force to public opinion, it is essential that public opinion should be enlightened.” – George Washington, … Continue reading →

Posted in First Principles | Tagged Diffusion, Enlightened, Essential, Farewell Address, First Principles, George Washington, Government, Institution, Knowledge, Pomote, Primary Importance, Public Opinion | Leave a comment

First Principles: The Founders of America Intended Women To Have A Full and Co-Equal Voice In Our Government

Posted on April 30, 2019 by alohapromisesforever

“If particular care and attention is not paid to the ladies, we are determined to foment a rebellion, and will not hold ourselves bound by any laws in which we have no voice or representation.” – Abigail Adams Oddly, it’s … Continue reading →

Posted in First Principles | Tagged Abigail Adams, Attention, Bound, Care, Determination, First Principles, Ladies, Law, Paid, Rebellion, Representation, Voice | Leave a comment