On the recordJanuary 1, 1791
A government on the principles on which constitutional governments arising out of society are established, cannot have the right of altering itself.
Said by
Thomas Paine
Source
gutenberg.orgThomas Paine: “A government on the principles on which constitutional governments arising out of society are established, cannot have…”
Editor's note · Context
Paine argues in "Rights of Man" that a constitutional government, established by society, lacks the inherent power to unilaterally change its own fundamental structure.
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Jan 1, 1791
Man cannot, properly speaking, make circumstances for his purpose, but he always has it in his power to improve them when they occur, and this was the case in France.
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It was become evident, that no constitution, worthy of being called by that name, could be established on anything less than a national ground.