Power, Confidence, and Authority

 

Edmund Burke, Reflections on the Revolution in France (1790):

 

You would not cure the evil by resolving that there should be no more monarchs, nor ministers of state, nor of the gospel; no interpreters of law; no general officers; no public councils. You might change the names. The things in some shape must remain. A certain quantum of power must always exist in the community in some hands and under some appellation. (emphasis added)

 

 

Federalist No. 26 (Hamilton) (1787):

 

The idea of restraining the legislative authority, in the means of providing for the national defence, is one of those refinements which owe their origin to a zeal for liberty more ardent than enlightened. We have seen, however, that it has not had thus far an extensive prevalency; that even in this country, where it made its first appearance, Pennsylvania and North Carolina are the only two States by which it has been in any degree patronized; and that all the others have refused to give it the least countenance; wisely judging that confidence must be placed somewhere; that the necessity of doing it, is implied in the very act of delegating power; and that it is better to hazard the abuse of that confidence than to embarrass the government and endanger the public safety by impolitic restrictions on the legislative authority. (emphasis added)

 

They [who supported the Glorious Revolution] were aware that a certain number of troops for guards and garrisons were indispensable; that no precise bounds could be set to the national exigencies; that a power equal to every possible contingency must exist somewhere in the government: and that when they referred the exercise of that power to the judgment of the legislature, they had arrived at the ultimate point of precaution which was reconcilable with the safety of the community. (emphasis added)

 

Huang Tsung-hsi, Waiting for Dawn: A Plan for the Prince (1663):

 

Final authority always rests with someone, and the palace menials, seeing the executive functions of the prime minister fall to the ground, undischarged by anyone, have seized the opportunity to establish numerous regulations, [and] extend the scope of their control . . . . (emphasis added)

Seth Barrett Tillman, ‘Power, Confidence, and Authority,’ New Reform Club (Feb. 17, 2024, 6:59 PM), <https://reformclub.blogspot.com/2024/02/power-authority-and-confidence.html>;