The poll asks whether you agree or disagree with this statement:[/SIZE]

"Governments do not exist to ennoble man, indeed they cannot, governments exist legitimately at best to lessen the destructive effects of man's inherent evil, flaws and shortcomings."

After answering the poll, please discuss your position.

__________________
“Quod scripsi, scripsi"

"Sometimes, the source of the beautiful dawning light that drives back the darkness, is your house burning"

If I'm understanding the quote correctly, my tendency is to agree, although the "evil" puts me off somewhat. Imo, the purpose of government is to protect the rights of life, property, and freedom within the bounds that the same rights to access are equally extended to all within a society.

The matter of evil is why (we fervently hope) the Government maintains various law enforcement bodies, especially police departments.

For instance, it is the government that ostensibly defends us from physical violence from criminals, who surely act from an inclination to evil.

If Man as a whole were not predictably prone to evil, there would be little call for police nor armies, which are organs of Government.

__________________
“Quod scripsi, scripsi"

"Sometimes, the source of the beautiful dawning light that drives back the darkness, is your house burning"

Well, my tendency is not to view the world as good vs evil, but rather the whole of man's nature, but I realize some sort of ethical and moral code is necessary to prevent a strictly "might is right" society.

There are things most people never see, both profane and sublime, that can forever alter one's perceptions, so that Good and Evil come to be seen as fundamental qualities of nature.

However, I don't think that human beings can really understand the two. We usually must settle for the far more accessible, "right" and "wrong."

As an side, here's a favorite quote fro a C.S. Lewis fiction on the topic. The quote is from a man who has just encountered fleetingly, what we would call an angel:

"I felt sure that the creature was what we call 'good,' but I wasn't sure whether I liked 'goodness' so much as I had supposed.

"This is a very terrible experience. As long as what you are afraid of is something evil, you may still hope that the good may come to your rescue. But suppose you struggle through to the good and find that it also is dreadful?"

__________________
“Quod scripsi, scripsi"

"Sometimes, the source of the beautiful dawning light that drives back the darkness, is your house burning"

Thanks- I really like that!

I'll take the banana...

__________________
"There are two ways to conquer and enslave a nation... One is by sword... The other is by debt."

John Adams 1826

There's always one!

__________________
“Quod scripsi, scripsi"

"Sometimes, the source of the beautiful dawning light that drives back the darkness, is your house burning"

As I see it this country was founded for the betterment of the country and it's people.

By allowing freedoms to grow and to better oneself, ie the American Dream we grew up with..

This was based upon the government doing more in the way of keeping our economy growing.

And it has passed laws so our inherent evils, flaws and shortcomings were curtailed.
Which it did for many years.. And the use of trade agreements etc.

Somewhere along the line these laws, rules and regulations were/are have become near worthless as major companies and many government employees and elected officials have joined forces to make themselves richer and more powerful.

And allowing these flaws to cause disruptions in our economy.. The growth of many criminal groups and gangs, which for some reason they have failed to stop or put much of a dent in their operations.

The above and much more we all know but can't prove is part of the short comings and flaws of government and us the people who allowed for the same people to hold power.

So in short I don't agree with the statement in it's idea that we the people are the cause of failure.
When the government itself has failed the people whom it gets it power from.

__________________
"There are two ways to conquer and enslave a nation... One is by sword... The other is by debt."

John Adams 1826

Edmund Burke sums up my position nicely.....

"All that is required for evil to prevail is for good men to do nothing." - Burke