It ought to be so constructed as to be superior to all the accidents to which individual man is subject; and, therefore, hereditary succession, by being subject to them all, is the most irregular and imperfect of all the systems of government.
Thomas Paine: “It ought to be so constructed as to be superior to all the accidents to which individual man is subject; and, therefore…”
Editor's note · Context
Paine argues that hereditary succession is the most imperfect form of government because it is vulnerable to the same human frailties as individuals.
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