--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Is there no virtue among us? If there be…" description: "\"Is there no virtue among us? If there be not, we are in a wretched situation. No theoretical checks-no form of government can render us secure. To supp..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/feb/james-madison-373_character_is-there-no-virtue-among-us-if-there-be_2567104.jpg" --- # Is there no virtue among us? If there be not, we are in a… ![“Is there no virtue among us? If there be not, we are in a wretched situation. No theoretical checks-no form of government can render us secure. To suppose that any form of government will secure liberty or happiness without any virtue in the people, is a chimerical idea, if there be sufficient…” quote by James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/feb/james-madison-373_character_is-there-no-virtue-among-us-if-there-be_2567104.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/feb/james-madison-373_character_is-there-no-virtue-among-us-if-there-be_2567104.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/feb/james-madison-373_character_is-there-no-virtue-among-us-if-there-be_2567104.jpg) > “Is there no virtue among us? If there be not, we are in a wretched situation. No theoretical checks-no form of government can render us secure. To suppose that any form of government will secure liberty or happiness without any virtue in the people, is a chimerical idea, if there be sufficient virtue and intelligence in the community, it will be exercised in the selection of these men. So that we do not depend on their virtue, or put confidence in our rulers, but in the people who are to choose them.” [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. Government cannot guarantee liberty or happiness without virtuous citizens; the people must choose virtuous leaders. **In simple terms:** Liberty depends on virtuous people, not just government. Key Takeaway Cultivate virtue in the community. Themes politics virtue citizenry Mood reflective concerned Type political ethical When to use this quote - elections - public policy - community building - education reform Key Concepts social contract civic responsibility Questions to Reflect On - How can societies foster virtue among citizens? - What mechanisms ensure virtuous leadership? A Different Perspective Relying solely on leaders ignores the power of collective virtue. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Checks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/checks/) [Community](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/community/) [Depends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/depends/) [Economics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economics/) [Form](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/form/) [Forms of government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forms-of-government/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Happiness Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness-virtue-545843/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Liberty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liberty/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Rulers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rulers/) [Secure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/secure/) [Selection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/selection/) [Situation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/situation/) [Sufficient](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sufficient/) [Sufficient Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sufficient-virtue-1657925/) [Theoretical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theoretical/) [Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtue/) [Virtue Confidence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtue-confidence-1657926/) [Virtue People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtue-people-864275/) [Wretched](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wretched/) ## Related quotes > [“I have observed that gentlemen suppose that the general legislature will do every thing mischievous they possibly can, and that they will omit to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/i-have-observed-that-gentlemen-suppose-that-the-general-legislature/) [James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/) > [“There is nothing more glorious—nothing that does more honour to true virtue, than the confidence with which one approaches a friend of tried integrity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-fran-ois-pr-vost/there-is-nothing-more-glorious-nothing-that-does-more-honour-to-true/) [Antoine François Prévost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-fran-ois-pr-vost/) > [Democracy is the most vile form of government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/democracy-is-the-most-vile-form-of-government/) [James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/) > [If we resort for a criterion to the different principles on which different forms of government are established, we may define a republic to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/if-we-resort-for-a-criterion-to-the-different-principles-on-which/) [James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/) > [ In a free government the security for civil rights must be the same as that for religious rights. ...under the republican forms \[of government\],… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/in-a-free-government-the-security-for-civil-rights-must-be-the-same-3/) [James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/) > [ \[In a democracy\] a common passion or interest will, in almost every case , be felt by a majority of the whole; a communication… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/in-a-democracy-a-common-passion-or-interest-will-in-almost-every-case/) [James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/) > [It has been said that all Government is an evil. 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