As James Madison put it in Federalist No. 40, “The choice…
““As James Madison put it in Federalist No. 40, “The choice must always be made, if not one of the lesser evil, at least of the GREATER, not the PERFECT good.” And in the last of the Federalist Papers, he said, “I never expect to see a perfect work from imperfect man.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Perfect solutions are rare; we must choose the best available option, even if it’s not ideal.
In simple terms: Choose the best imperfect option.
Key Takeaway
Accept imperfection, act.
Themes
decision making
ethics
politics
Mood
analytical
pragmatic
Type
philosophical
political
When to use this quote
- government negotiations
- business strategy
- personal dilemmas
Key Concepts
pragmatism
trade‑offs
policy
Questions to Reflect On
- What imperfect choice did you make?
- How do you balance idealism and practicality?
A Different Perspective
Perfect choices are often unrealistic.