--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The true principle of government is this…" description: "\"The true principle of government is this - make the system compleat in its structure; give a perfect proportion and balance to its parts; and the power..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9f/alexander-hamilton-619_balance_the-true-principle-of-government-is-this_2689435.jpg" --- # The true principle of government is this - make the system… ![“The true principle of government is this - make the system compleat in its structure; give a perfect proportion and balance to its parts; and the powers you give it will never affect your security.” quote by Alexander Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9f/alexander-hamilton-619_balance_the-true-principle-of-government-is-this_2689435.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9f/alexander-hamilton-619_balance_the-true-principle-of-government-is-this_2689435.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9f/alexander-hamilton-619_balance_the-true-principle-of-government-is-this_2689435.jpg) > “The true principle of government is this - make the system compleat in its structure; give a perfect proportion and balance to its parts; and the powers you give it will never affect your security.” [Alexander Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-hamilton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A well‑designed government with balanced parts ensures security and limits power abuse. **In simple terms:** Balanced government protects security. Key Takeaway Design systems with proportional checks. Themes government security design balance Mood analytical concerned Type political philosophical When to use this quote - policy making - organizational design - public administration Key Concepts political theory constitutionalism Questions to Reflect On - What parts of current systems need rebalancing? - How can citizens enforce balance? A Different Perspective Complex systems may still fail despite balance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Balance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/balance/) [Cybersecurity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cybersecurity/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Perfect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perfect/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Principle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/principle/) [Principle Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/principle-government-255126/) [Principles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/principles/) [Proportion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/proportion/) [Security](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/security/) [Structure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/structure/) [Structure Perfect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/structure-perfect-2645936/) [True Principle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/true-principle-949548/) ## Related quotes > [The true principle of a republic is that the people should choose whom they please to govern them. Representation is imperfect, in proportion as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-hamilton/the-true-principle-of-a-republic-is-that-the-people-should-choose/) [Alexander Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-hamilton/) > [The true principle of taxation is the benefit principle - those who benefit from a government service should pay for it. It's also known…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-skousen/the-true-principle-of-taxation-is-the-benefit-principle-those-who/) [Mark Skousen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-skousen/) > [My coaches have told me my muscles and body structure are perfect for skating.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-yuna/my-coaches-have-told-me-my-muscles-and-body-structure-are-perfect-for/) [Kim Yuna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-yuna/) > [He that upon a true principle lives, without any disquiet of thought, may be said to be happy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-l-estrange/he-that-upon-a-true-principle-lives-without-any-disquiet-of-thought/) [Roger L'Estrange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-l-estrange/) > [“ 'How a mother can look at her baby, and know that she lives beyond her husband's means, I cannot imagine.' " "Eugene suggests…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/how-a-mother-can-look-at-her-baby-and-know-that-she-lives-beyond-her/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [Liberty, equality - bad principles! The only true principle for humanity is justice; and justice to the feeble is protection and kindness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-frederic-amiel/liberty-equality-bad-principles-the-only-true-principle-for-humanity/) [Henri Frederic Amiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-frederic-amiel/) > [The 80/20 principle - that 80 percent of result flow from just 20 per cent of the causes - is the one true principle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-koch/the-80-20-principle-that-80-percent-of-result-flow-from-just-20-per/) [Richard Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-koch/) > [A true principle makes decisions clear even under the most confusing and challenging circumstances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-g-scott/a-true-principle-makes-decisions-clear-even-under-the-most-confusing/) [Richard G. Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-g-scott/) > [“It seemed that digression was the true principle of the universe, that the only real subject was the way the subject kept changing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/it-seemed-that-digression-was-the-true-principle-of-the-universe-that/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [There can be no compromise between freedom and government controls; to accept 'just a few controls' is to surrender the principle of inalienable individual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/there-can-be-no-compromise-between-freedom-and-government-controls-to/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [As the capacity to coerce declines, it is natural to turn to control of opinion as the basis for authority and domination - a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/as-the-capacity-to-coerce-declines-it-is-natural-to-turn-to-control/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [I consider it…as subverting the fundamental and characteristic principle of the Government…and as bidding defiance to the sense in which the Constitution is known…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/i-consider-it-as-subverting-the-fundamental-and-characteristic/) [James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/) > [Men agree that justice in the abstract is proportion, but they differ in that some think that if they are equal in any respect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/men-agree-that-justice-in-the-abstract-is-proportion-but-they-differ/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [Wherever the Government does not emanate...from the people, the principle of the Government, the esprit de corps, the point of honour, in all those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/wherever-the-government-does-not-emanate-from-the-people-the/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [That which is wrong under one circumstance, may be, and often is, right under another. God said, 'Thou shalt not kill'; at another time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/that-which-is-wrong-under-one-circumstance-may-be-and-often-is-right/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Alexander Hamilton > [“I am apprehensive, Sir, that in the warmth of my feelings, I may have uttered expressions, which were too vehement. If such has been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-hamilton/i-am-apprehensive-sir-that-in-the-warmth-of-my-feelings-i-may-have/) [Alexander Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-hamilton/) > [“The truth unquestionably is, that the only path to a subversion of the republican system of the Country is, by flattering the prejudices of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-hamilton/the-truth-unquestionably-is-that-the-only-path-to-a-subversion-of-the/) [Alexander Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-hamilton/) > [ \[W\]ar is a question, under our constitution, not of Executive, but of Legislative cognizance. It belongs to Congress to say whether the Nation shall… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-hamilton/w-ar-is-a-question-under-our-constitution-not-of-executive-but-of/) [Alexander Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-hamilton/) > [It will be of little avail to the people, that the laws are made by men of their own choice, if the laws be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-hamilton/it-will-be-of-little-avail-to-the-people-that-the-laws-are-made-by/) [Alexander Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-hamilton/) > [Though a wide ocean separates the United States from Europe, yet there are various considerations that warn us against an excess of confidence or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-hamilton/though-a-wide-ocean-separates-the-united-states-from-europe-yet-there/) [Alexander Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-hamilton/) > [It is an unquestionable truth, that the body of the people in every country desire sincerely its prosperity. But it is equally unquestionable that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-hamilton/it-is-an-unquestionable-truth-that-the-body-of-the-people-in-every/) [Alexander Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-hamilton/) > [There are still to be found visionary or designing men, who stand ready to advocate the paradox of perpetual peace between the states, though…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-hamilton/there-are-still-to-be-found-visionary-or-designing-men-who-stand/) [Alexander Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-hamilton/) > [ It is one thing to be subordinate to the laws, and another \[for the Executive\] to be dependent on the legislative body. The first… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-hamilton/it-is-one-thing-to-be-subordinate-to-the-laws-and-another-for-the/) [Alexander Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-hamilton/) > [Man is very much a creature of habit. A thing that rarely strikes his senses will generally have but little influence upon his mind.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-hamilton/man-is-very-much-a-creature-of-habit-a-thing-that-rarely-strikes-his/) [Alexander Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-hamilton/) > [Money is, with propriety, considered as the vital principle of the body politic; as that which sustains its life and motion, and enables it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-hamilton/money-is-with-propriety-considered-as-the-vital-principle-of-the-body/) [Alexander Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-hamilton/) > [The nation which can prefer disgrace to danger is prepared for a master and deserves one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-hamilton/the-nation-which-can-prefer-disgrace-to-danger-is-prepared-for-a/) [Alexander Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-hamilton/) > [It is a well-known fact that in countries in which the national debt is properly funded, and an object of established confidence, it answers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-hamilton/it-is-a-well-known-fact-that-in-countries-in-which-the-national-debt/) [Alexander Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-hamilton/) > [A government, the constitution of which renders it unfit to be trusted with all the powers which a free people ought to delegate to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-hamilton/a-government-the-constitution-of-which-renders-it-unfit-to-be-trusted/) [Alexander Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-hamilton/) > [The Liberty of the press consists in the right to publish with impunity truth with good motives for justifiable ends, though reflecting on government,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-hamilton/the-liberty-of-the-press-consists-in-the-right-to-publish-with/) [Alexander Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-hamilton/) > [You should not have taken advantage of my sensibility to steal into my affections without my consent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-hamilton/you-should-not-have-taken-advantage-of-my-sensibility-to-steal-into/) [Alexander Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-hamilton/) [Explore all 443 Alexander Hamilton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-hamilton/) ## More Balance quotes > [Balance suggests a perfect equilibrium. There is no such thing. That is a false expectation… There are going to be priorities and dimensions of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-morrison/balance-suggests-a-perfect-equilibrium-there-is-no-such-thing-that-is/) [Denise Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-morrison/) > [The bones of my architecture are very much related to the structure, to the physical fact of how a building can stand up; it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/santiago-calatrava/the-bones-of-my-architecture-are-very-much-related-to-the-structure/) [Santiago Calatrava](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/santiago-calatrava/) > [I can still function when I don't have that balance I crave. I had a tendency to be precious about acting, thinking of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-regan/i-can-still-function-when-i-don-t-have-that-balance-i-crave-i-had-a/) [Laura Regan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-regan/) > [she got a reputation for an easy smile and a sharp tongue, and using one to balance the other, she seemed friendly but distant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-allison/she-got-a-reputation-for-an-easy-smile-and-a-sharp-tongue-and-using/) [Dorothy Allison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-allison/) > [Life's unfairness is not irrevocable; we can help balance the scales for others, if not always for ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hubert-h-humphrey/life-s-unfairness-is-not-irrevocable-we-can-help-balance-the-scales/) [Hubert H. Humphrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hubert-h-humphrey/) > [“We don't need to strive towards balance, we rather need to work on the obstacles that are preventing the natural flow of balance.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-a-alebraheem/we-don-t-need-to-strive-towards-balance-we-rather-need-to-work-on-the/) [A.A. Alebraheem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-a-alebraheem/) > [I think that kind of balance comes with the process of growing together as a band, the Little Dragon. We love to write, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yukimi-nagano/i-think-that-kind-of-balance-comes-with-the-process-of-growing/) [Yukimi Nagano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yukimi-nagano/) > [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [At times of recession, running a budget deficit is highly desirable. Once the economy begins to recover, you have to balance the budget. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-soros/at-times-of-recession-running-a-budget-deficit-is-highly-desirable/) [George Soros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-soros/) > [It's my intention to make something stand outside the realm of album art, but it also feels comfortable to me to be in it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dyer-baizley/it-s-my-intention-to-make-something-stand-outside-the-realm-of-album/) [John Dyer Baizley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dyer-baizley/) > [Once you've gotten your money in balance, you know how much you have to spend on things that are just fun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-warren/once-you-ve-gotten-your-money-in-balance-you-know-how-much-you-have/) [Elizabeth Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-warren/) > [I never understood how much running changes your life. I'm now obsessed. When not trying to beat my personal best, I'm talking to other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sadiq-khan/i-never-understood-how-much-running-changes-your-life-i-m-now/) [Sadiq Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sadiq-khan/) > [Whatever needed to be done, I need to know how to do it just as well as my wife. You know, for us to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-isbell/whatever-needed-to-be-done-i-need-to-know-how-to-do-it-just-as-well/) [Jason Isbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-isbell/) > [I don't think my parents would have let me go straight into acting full time when I was 12. I do like to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felicity-jones/i-don-t-think-my-parents-would-have-let-me-go-straight-into-acting/) [Felicity Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felicity-jones/) > [When it comes down to music, I have no balance. I am 100 percent. It is like full throttle. Five hundred miles an hour.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yanni/when-it-comes-down-to-music-i-have-no-balance-i-am-100-percent-it-is/) [Yanni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yanni/) [Browse all 5,166 Balance quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/balance/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The true principle of government is this - make the system compleat in its structure; give a perfect proportion and balance to its parts; and the powers you give it will never affect your security.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Alexander Hamilton" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-hamilton/the-true-principle-of-government-is-this-make-the-system-compleat-in/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Balance" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-hamilton/the-true-principle-of-government-is-this-make-the-system-compleat-in/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9f/alexander-hamilton-619_balance_the-true-principle-of-government-is-this_2689435.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9f/alexander-hamilton-619_balance_the-true-principle-of-government-is-this_2689435.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9f/alexander-hamilton-619_balance_the-true-principle-of-government-is-this_2689435.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The true principle of government is this - make the system compleat in its structure; give a perfect…” — Alexander Hamilton", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Alexander Hamilton", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-hamilton/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The true principle of government is...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-hamilton/the-true-principle-of-government-is-this-make-the-system-compleat-in/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-hamilton/the-true-principle-of-government-is-this-make-the-system-compleat-in/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```