“The essence of constitutionalism in a democracy is not merely to shape and condition the nature of majorities, but also to stipulate that certain things are impermissible, no matter how large and fervent a majority might want them.” WantMatterMightCertainLibertyDemocracyConditionsShapesEssenceMajorityFerventConstitutionalism Book:With a Happy Eye, But...: America and the World, 1997--2002 Source: With a Happy Eye, But...: America and the World, 1997--2002
“Life, liberty, and the pursuit of property were just what Aristotle did not talk about. They are the conditions of happiness; but the essence of happiness, according to Aristotle, is virtue. So the moderns decided to deal with the conditions and to let happiness take care of itself.” CareDealsLibertyVirtueConditionsDecidedEssencePropertyTake CarePursuit Author:Allan Bloom
“In The Federalist, James Madison called the rage for equality 'a wicked project.' People differ and rewards differ-that's the essence of both liberty and justice. No nation that rewards effort, talent, inventiveness and luck can even pretend to cherish equal outcomes. In an inventive and dynamic society, equal (even relatively equal) incomes can be achieved only by abandoning liberty for tyranny.” PeopleNationsJusticeEffortLibertyTalentEqualProjectsEssenceLuckRewardsRageTyrannyIncomeOutcomesWickedCherishMadisonFederalistLiberty And JusticeInventiveness Author:Michael Novak
“For the majority of contemporary Americans, the essence of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness centers on a relentless personal quest to acquire, to consume, to indulge, and to shed whatever constraints might interfere with those endeavors.” MightLibertyEssenceMajorityPursuitContemporaryAcquireEndeavorQuestsShedInterfereIndulgePursuit Of HappinessRelentlessConstraintsEssence Of LifeLife Liberty And The Pursuit Of Happiness Author:Andrew Bacevich