--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The house of representatives ... can make…" description: "\"The house of representatives ... can make no law, which will not have its full operation on themselves and their friends, as well as the great mass of ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fbb/james-madison-373_communion_the-house-of-representatives-can-make-no_563330.jpg" --- # The house of representatives ... can make no law, which… ![“The house of representatives ... can make no law, which will not have its full operation on themselves and their friends, as well as the great mass of society. This has always been deemed one of the strongest bonds by which human policy can connect the rulers and the people together. It creates…” quote by James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fbb/james-madison-373_communion_the-house-of-representatives-can-make-no_563330.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fbb/james-madison-373_communion_the-house-of-representatives-can-make-no_563330.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fbb/james-madison-373_communion_the-house-of-representatives-can-make-no_563330.jpg) > “The house of representatives ... can make no law, which will not have its full operation on themselves and their friends, as well as the great mass of society. This has always been deemed one of the strongest bonds by which human policy can connect the rulers and the people together. It creates between them that communion of interest, and sympathy of sentiments, of which few governments have furnished examples; but without which every government degenerates into tyranny.” [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. The quote argues that lawmakers must be subject to the same laws and interests as the people they serve, creating shared interests that prevent tyranny. **In simple terms:** Lawmakers should share the same rules as citizens to keep power balanced. Key Takeaway Ensure laws affect all equally. Themes governance balance tyranny representation accountability Mood cautious reflective Type political philosophical When to use this quote - legislative drafting - policy analysis - citizen advocacy - government reform Key Concepts social contract checks and balances public interest Questions to Reflect On - How can modern societies ensure true shared interest? - What mechanisms guard against hidden elite control? A Different Perspective It may oversimplify complex power dynamics and ignore elite influence. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Communion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communion/) [Degenerates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/degenerates/) [Example](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/example/) [Examples Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/examples-government-4664702/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [House](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/house/) [House of representatives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/house-of-representatives/) [Human Policy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-policy-4664701/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Interest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interest/) [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [Make Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make-law-433293/) [Mass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mass/) [Operations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/operations/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Policy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/policy/) [Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Representatives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/representatives/) [Representatives Make](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/representatives-make-2814162/) [Rulers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rulers/) [Sentiments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sentiments/) [Sentiments Governments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sentiments-governments-4664700/) [Strongest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strongest/) [Together](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/together/) [Tyranny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tyranny/) [Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wells/) ## Related quotes > [The only way you do anything is to become really active. And the most effective way to get your message to your elected representatives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krist-novoselic/the-only-way-you-do-anything-is-to-become-really-active-and-the-most/) [Krist Novoselic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krist-novoselic/) > [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/) > [If it be asked what is to restrain the House of Representatives from making legal discriminations in favor of themselves and a particular class…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/if-it-be-asked-what-is-to-restrain-the-house-of-representatives-from-2/) [James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/) > [“Sometimes I dream that we could deal with the big crimes, that we could make a law for countries and not just for people,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/sometimes-i-dream-that-we-could-deal-with-the-big-crimes-that-we/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [To exist is to defy all that threatens you. To be a rebel is not to accumulate a library of subversive books or to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dominique-venner/to-exist-is-to-defy-all-that-threatens-you-to-be-a-rebel-is-not-to/) [Dominique Venner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dominique-venner/) > [“Judges ought to remember that their office is to interpret law, and not to make law, or give law.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/judges-ought-to-remember-that-their-office-is-to-interpret-law-and/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [Courts do not make the law.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-sasse/courts-do-not-make-the-law/) [Ben Sasse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-sasse/) > [“No," the Boss (Willie) corrected, "I'm not a lawyer. I know some law. In fact, I know a lot of law. And I made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-penn-warren/no-the-boss-willie-corrected-i-m-not-a-lawyer-i-know-some-law-in-fact/) [Robert Penn Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-penn-warren/) > [“But I'm not a lawyer. That's why I can see what the law is like. It's like a single-bed blanket on a double bed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-penn-warren/but-i-m-not-a-lawyer-that-s-why-i-can-see-what-the-law-is-like-it-s/) [Robert Penn Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-penn-warren/) > [If we desire respect for the law, we must first make the law respectable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-d-brandeis/if-we-desire-respect-for-the-law-we-must-first-make-the-law/) [Louis D. Brandeis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-d-brandeis/) > [If you're going to make a law, make a law that actually works. It's extraordinarily difficult.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-schmidt/if-you-re-going-to-make-a-law-make-a-law-that-actually-works-it-s/) [Eric Schmidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-schmidt/) > [The First Amendment...begins with the five loveliest words in the English language: 'Congress shall make no law'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-will/the-first-amendment-begins-with-the-five-loveliest-words-in-the/) [George Will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-will/) > [“Have you ever found yourself saying, "There ought to be a law against this," or, "Somebody should do something"? Well, here’s the good news…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-stoklasa-ma/have-you-ever-found-yourself-saying-there-ought-to-be-a-law-against/) [Victoria Stoklasa MA](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-stoklasa-ma/) > [“We have a problem when the same people who make the law get to decide whether or not they themselves have broken the law.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-templet/we-have-a-problem-when-the-same-people-who-make-the-law-get-to-decide/) [Michel Templet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-templet/) > [Law is downstream from culture. By the time you make a law about something, you're reacting, not acting. I'd rather shape the culture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/law-is-downstream-from-culture-by-the-time-you-make-a-law-about/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) ## 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. 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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 Communion quotes > [To love is to be in communion with the other and to discover in that other the spark of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/to-love-is-to-be-in-communion-with-the-other-and-to-discover-in-that/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [Not simply the righteousness of our Saviour, not simply the beauty of His holiness or the graces of His character, are we to put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adoniram-judson-gordon/not-simply-the-righteousness-of-our-saviour-not-simply-the-beauty-of/) [Adoniram Judson Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adoniram-judson-gordon/) > [“Is the Lord’s Supper only for Christians? Whenever I ask this question I immediately remember the character of those that partook of the Last…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-witherington-iii/is-the-lord-s-supper-only-for-christians-whenever-i-ask-this-question/) [Ben Witherington III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-witherington-iii/) > [“Laymen are not allowed to carry around the blessed Host to throw at people.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-wright-2/laymen-are-not-allowed-to-carry-around-the-blessed-host-to-throw-at/) [John C Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-wright-2/) > [The answer to any challenge you are having has nothing to do with God's willingness to help. It has to do with your acceptance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-beckwith/the-answer-to-any-challenge-you-are-having-has-nothing-to-do-with-god/) [Michael Beckwith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-beckwith/) > [We seem to have lost contact with the earlier, more profound functions of art, which have always had to do with personal and collective…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-london/we-seem-to-have-lost-contact-with-the-earlier-more-profound-functions/) [Peter London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-london/) > [The one thing that the Catholic Church desires, and that I seek as Bishop of Rome, “the Church which presides in charity”, is communion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/the-one-thing-that-the-catholic-church-desires-and-that-i-seek-as/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [It is not he who knows most, nor he who hears most, nor yet he who talks most, but he who exercises grace most,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-brooks/it-is-not-he-who-knows-most-nor-he-who-hears-most-nor-yet-he-who/) [Thomas Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-brooks/) > [True, the fragile bodies of his fellows do not weigh down his plane; true, the fretful minds of weaker men are missing from his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lindbergh/true-the-fragile-bodies-of-his-fellows-do-not-weigh-down-his-plane/) [Charles Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lindbergh/) > [There are believers who by God's grace, have climbed the mountains of full assurance and near communion, their place is with the eagle in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/there-are-believers-who-by-god-s-grace-have-climbed-the-mountains-of/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [I will tell you why we have these extraordinary minds and souls, Miss Whittaker," he continued, as though he had not heard her. 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