No Perfect Form of Government Essay - 2014 Words

The struggle to create the perfect government has been prevalent throughout human history, and has resulted in significant turbulence and bloodshed for mankind. Despite thousands of years of progress, the challenge to find the ideal government was still prevalent during the Enlightenment period. During the 18th century, numerous philosophers developed various new ideas about how the ideal government should perform its duties. Philosophers like John Locke and Jean Jacques Rousseau, for example, conceived the idea of a government in which the majority rules through a system of democracy. A bloody conflict finally brought some of these ideas into practice. From the American Revolution, the United States was born, and its foundations were†¦show more content†¦One of his greatest works, the Declaration of Independence, epitomizes this responsibility. Jefferson thought that government should establish â€Å"its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form , as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness† (Jefferson 1). Despite Jeffersons idea of the perfect government, however, the modern government of the United States is still far from effectively establishing the â€Å"safety and happiness† for its people as described in this passage. For example, although the government has attempted to eradicate it in the past, a large portion of the population still lives on the edge of poverty. The director of a prominent project on poverty at Penn State University describes this situation: â€Å"The more complex reality, she said, is that a large swath of the population is barely getting by, making too much to qualify for public assistance but not enough to cover all their expenses. They may not have not crossed the threshold into poverty, but they live on its doorstep† (Bensen). The inability of the government to provide public assistance to people living on the edge of poverty stems from the fact that excessive tax increases are required to do so. Thus, the goal of providing full security to citizens comes at a price. The recently proposed health care legislation has been characterized by its opponents as unfair because it would raise taxes for many Americans for the benefit of theShow MoreRelatedEssay on Human Nature and the Opposing Forces That Redeem It1090 Words   |  5 Pagesprovide priceless insight into the spirits of both human government and human nature. In fact, The Federalist Papers repeatedly acknowledge a basic truth of human existence: humans are naturally selfish, hostile, and full of such characteristics that hinder the continuation of peaceful, harmonious existence. The corruption of the human race permeates even the strongest governments, as history has shown time and again. 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