---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In framing a government which is to be…"
description: "\"In framing a government which is to be administered by men over men you must first enable the government to control the governed; and in the next place..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d8/james-madison-373_framing_in-framing-a-government-which-is-to-be-a_2392816.jpg"
---

#  In framing a government which is to be administered by men…

![“In framing a government which is to be administered by men over men you must first enable the government to control the governed; and in the next place oblige it to control itself.” quote by James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d8/james-madison-373_framing_in-framing-a-government-which-is-to-be-a_2392816.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d8/james-madison-373_framing_in-framing-a-government-which-is-to-be-a_2392816.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d8/james-madison-373_framing_in-framing-a-government-which-is-to-be-a_2392816.jpg)

> “In framing a government which is to be administered by men over men you must first enable the government to control the governed; and in the next place oblige it to control itself.”

[James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

A government must control its citizens and also be self‑controlled, ensuring balance and preventing abuse.

**In simple terms:** Governments need to regulate people and themselves.

Key Takeaway

Design checks and balances in institutions.

Themes

politics governance self‑regulation

Mood

serious reflective

Type

political philosophical

When to use this quote

- legislative bodies
- corporate governance
- non‑profits
- online platforms

Key Concepts

social contract balance of power institutional accountability

Questions to Reflect On

- What mechanisms ensure a government watches itself?
- How can citizens hold power accountable?

A Different Perspective

Self‑control can be hard to enforce without external pressure.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Framing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/framing/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Government control](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government-control/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/)

## Related quotes

> [In framing a government which is to be administered by men over men, the great difficulty lies in this: you must first enable the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-framing-a-government-which-is-to-be-administered-by-men-over-men/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“In framing a government which is to be administered by men over men,” James Madison pointed out, “the great difficulty lies in this: you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-carson/in-framing-a-government-which-is-to-be-administered-by-men-over-men-2/)

[Ben Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-carson/)

> [“You must first enable the government to control the governed; and in the next place, oblige it to control itself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/you-must-first-enable-the-government-to-control-the-governed-and-in/)

[James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/)

> [ \[I\]n framing a Government for a nation we ought, in those provisions which are designed to be permanent, to calculate not on temporary, but… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-hamilton/i-n-framing-a-government-for-a-nation-we-ought-in-those-provisions/)

[Alexander Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-hamilton/)

> [In framing a system, which we wish to last for ages, we should not lose sight of the changes which ages will produce.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/in-framing-a-system-which-we-wish-to-last-for-ages-we-should-not-lose/)

[James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/)

> [If men were angels, no government would be necessary. If angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls on government would be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/if-men-were-angels-no-government-would-be-necessary-if-angels-were-to/)

[James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/)

> [“It may be a reflection on human nature, that such devices should be necessary to control the abuses of government. But what is government…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/it-may-be-a-reflection-on-human-nature-that-such-devices-should-be/)

[James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/)

> [I was thinking about framing, and how so much of what we think about our lives and our personal histories revolves around how we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiersten-white/i-was-thinking-about-framing-and-how-so-much-of-what-we-think-about/)

[Kiersten White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiersten-white/)

> [The problem is no longer getting people to express themselves, but providing little gaps of solitude and silence in which they might eventually find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilles-deleuze/the-problem-is-no-longer-getting-people-to-express-themselves-but/)

[Gilles Deleuze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilles-deleuze/)

> [“See the system. When you find yourself stuck in an oversimplified polarized conflict, a useful first step is to try to become more aware…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-t-coleman/see-the-system-when-you-find-yourself-stuck-in-an-oversimplified/)

Peter T. Coleman

> [Auditioning for television shows - to find a guy who has a lot of experience as a laborer is a bit of an anomaly.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-offerman/auditioning-for-television-shows-to-find-a-guy-who-has-a-lot-of/)

[Nick Offerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-offerman/)

> [Comic-strip artists generally have very modest ambitions. Day to day, we labor to fit together all these little moving parts - a character or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garry-trudeau/comic-strip-artists-generally-have-very-modest-ambitions-day-to-day/)

[Garry Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-trudeau/)

> [So we must realize this: the suicidal framing story that dominates our world today has no power except the power we give it by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/so-we-must-realize-this-the-suicidal-framing-story-that-dominates-our/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Other than they may or may not have discussed the relative merits of the Electoral College vs. the popular vote, what I am told…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-tumulty/other-than-they-may-or-may-not-have-discussed-the-relative-merits-of/)

[Karen Tumulty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-tumulty/)

> [From childhood my mother had me examining Robert Mapplethorpe's style and Egon Schiele's framing - that's what modelling is about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milla-jovovich/from-childhood-my-mother-had-me-examining-robert-mapplethorpe-s-style/)

[Milla Jovovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milla-jovovich/)

## More by James Madison

> [“Knowledge will forever govern ignorance, and a people who mean to be their own governors, must arm themselves with the power knowledge gives. A…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/knowledge-will-forever-govern-ignorance-and-a-people-who-mean-to-be/)

[James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/)

> [Rulers who wished to subvert the public liberty, may have found an established Clergy convenient auxiliaries. A just Government instituted to secure & perpetuate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/rulers-who-wished-to-subvert-the-public-liberty-may-have-found-an/)

[James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/)

> [The powers delegated by the proposed Constitution to the federal government are few and defined. Those which are to remain in the State governments…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/the-powers-delegated-by-the-proposed-constitution-to-the-federal/)

[James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/)

> [How could a readiness for war in time of peace be safely prohibited, unless we could prohibit, in like manner, the preparations and establishments…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/how-could-a-readiness-for-war-in-time-of-peace-be-safely-prohibited/)

[James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/)

> [The accumulation of all powers, legislative, executive, and judiciary, in the same hands, whether of one, a few, or many, and whether hereditary, selfappointed,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/the-accumulation-of-all-powers-legislative-executive-and-judiciary-in/)

[James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/)

> [ It is certain that every class is interested in \[educational\] establishments which give to the human mind its highest improvements, and to every Country… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/it-is-certain-that-every-class-is-interested-in-educational/)

[James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/)

> [Since it is impossible for the people spontaneously and universally, to move in concert towards their object; and it is therefore essential, that such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/since-it-is-impossible-for-the-people-spontaneously-and-universally/)

[James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/)

> [The definition of the right of suffrage is very justly regarded as a fundamental article of republican government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/the-definition-of-the-right-of-suffrage-is-very-justly-regarded-as-a/)

[James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/)

> [The future and success of America is not in this Constitution, but in the laws of God upon which this Constitution is founded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/the-future-and-success-of-america-is-not-in-this-constitution-but-in/)

[James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/)

> [They can make no law which will not have its full operation on themselves and their friends, as well as on the great mass…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/they-can-make-no-law-which-will-not-have-its-full-operation-on/)

[James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/)

> [The effect of a representative democracy is to refine and enlarge the public views, by passing them through the medium of a chosen body…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/the-effect-of-a-representative-democracy-is-to-refine-and-enlarge-the/)

[James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/)

> [“... But besides the danger of a direct mixture of Religion & civil Government , there is an evil which ought to be guarded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/but-besides-the-danger-of-a-direct-mixture-of-religion-civil/)

[James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/)

> [Although all men are born free, slavery has been the general lot of the human race. Ignorant--they have been cheated; asleep--they have been surprised;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/although-all-men-are-born-free-slavery-has-been-the-general-lot-of/)

[James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/)

> [“It may be a reflection on human nature, that such devices should be necessary to control the abuses of government. But what is government…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/it-may-be-a-reflection-on-human-nature-that-such-devices-should-be/)

[James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/)

> [The better proof of reverence for that holy name would be not to profane it by making it a topic of legislative discussion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/the-better-proof-of-reverence-for-that-holy-name-would-be-not-to/)

[James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/)

[Explore all 628 James Madison quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/)

## More Framing quotes

> [Other than they may or may not have discussed the relative merits of the Electoral College vs. the popular vote, what I am told…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-tumulty/other-than-they-may-or-may-not-have-discussed-the-relative-merits-of/)

[Karen Tumulty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-tumulty/)

> [So we must realize this: the suicidal framing story that dominates our world today has no power except the power we give it by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/so-we-must-realize-this-the-suicidal-framing-story-that-dominates-our/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Comic-strip artists generally have very modest ambitions. Day to day, we labor to fit together all these little moving parts - a character or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garry-trudeau/comic-strip-artists-generally-have-very-modest-ambitions-day-to-day/)

[Garry Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-trudeau/)

> [Auditioning for television shows - to find a guy who has a lot of experience as a laborer is a bit of an anomaly.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-offerman/auditioning-for-television-shows-to-find-a-guy-who-has-a-lot-of/)

[Nick Offerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-offerman/)

> [I was thinking about framing, and how so much of what we think about our lives and our personal histories revolves around how we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiersten-white/i-was-thinking-about-framing-and-how-so-much-of-what-we-think-about/)

[Kiersten White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiersten-white/)

> [From childhood my mother had me examining Robert Mapplethorpe's style and Egon Schiele's framing - that's what modelling is about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milla-jovovich/from-childhood-my-mother-had-me-examining-robert-mapplethorpe-s-style/)

[Milla Jovovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milla-jovovich/)

> [The problem is no longer getting people to express themselves, but providing little gaps of solitude and silence in which they might eventually find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilles-deleuze/the-problem-is-no-longer-getting-people-to-express-themselves-but/)

[Gilles Deleuze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilles-deleuze/)

> [“See the system. When you find yourself stuck in an oversimplified polarized conflict, a useful first step is to try to become more aware…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-t-coleman/see-the-system-when-you-find-yourself-stuck-in-an-oversimplified/)

Peter T. Coleman

> [One doesn't stop seeing. One doesn't stop framing. It doesn't turn off and turn on. It's on all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-leibovitz/one-doesn-t-stop-seeing-one-doesn-t-stop-framing-it-doesn-t-turn-off/)

[Annie Leibovitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-leibovitz/)

> [The framing of how we relate to each other within and across social media platforms will continue to become more sophisticated and nuanced in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-mainwaring/the-framing-of-how-we-relate-to-each-other-within-and-across-social/)

[Simon Mainwaring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-mainwaring/)

> [ I think it\[3D\] should be used as a new artistic form, not as a gimmick, not to impress you but the existence of an… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ang-lee/i-think-it-3d-should-be-used-as-a-new-artistic-form-not-as-a-gimmick/)

[Ang Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ang-lee/)

> [During the fifteen or twenty years in which I tried - it was not always easy with publishers, newspapers, etc. - to forbid photographs,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-derrida/during-the-fifteen-or-twenty-years-in-which-i-tried-it-was-not-always/)

[Jacques Derrida](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-derrida/)

> [We are more often than not asked, for instance, to regard Israel and Palestine as in a conflict of this kind, a framing that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-butler/we-are-more-often-than-not-asked-for-instance-to-regard-israel-and/)

[Judith Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-butler/)

> [As you see something that yo want to shot and it's bearing down on you, it's important to start framing long before the subject…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-maisel/as-you-see-something-that-yo-want-to-shot-and-it-s-bearing-down-on/)

[Jay Maisel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-maisel/)

> [If men were angels, no government would be necessary. If angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls on government would be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/if-men-were-angels-no-government-would-be-necessary-if-angels-were-to/)

[James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/)

[Browse all 106 Framing quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/framing/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "In framing a government which is to be administered by men over men you must first enable the government to control the governed; and in the next place oblige it to control itself.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "James Madison"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/in-framing-a-government-which-is-to-be-administered-by-men-over-men-3/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Framing"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/in-framing-a-government-which-is-to-be-administered-by-men-over-men-3/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d8/james-madison-373_framing_in-framing-a-government-which-is-to-be-a_2392816.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d8/james-madison-373_framing_in-framing-a-government-which-is-to-be-a_2392816.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d8/james-madison-373_framing_in-framing-a-government-which-is-to-be-a_2392816.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“In framing a government which is to be administered by men over men you must first enable the government to…” — James Madison",
                "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": "James Madison",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "In framing a government which is...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/in-framing-a-government-which-is-to-be-administered-by-men-over-men-3/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/in-framing-a-government-which-is-to-be-administered-by-men-over-men-3/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```