--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The Anglo-American tradition of…" description: "\"“The Anglo-American tradition of constitutional thinking should be understood in this way, as addressing the question of how to limit the power of gove..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/859/roger-scruton-971_american-tradition_the-anglo-american-tradition-of-constitu_2549638.jpg" --- # The Anglo-American tradition of constitutional thinking… ![“The Anglo-American tradition of constitutional thinking should be understood in this way, as addressing the question of how to limit the power of government, without losing its benefits. That” quote by Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/859/roger-scruton-971_american-tradition_the-anglo-american-tradition-of-constitu_2549638.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/859/roger-scruton-971_american-tradition_the-anglo-american-tradition-of-constitu_2549638.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/859/roger-scruton-971_american-tradition_the-anglo-american-tradition-of-constitu_2549638.jpg) > ““The Anglo-American tradition of constitutional thinking should be understood in this way, as addressing the question of how to limit the power of government, without losing its benefits. That”” [Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Constitutional theory aims to limit government power while preserving its benefits, balancing control and utility. **In simple terms:** Balancing government limits with benefits. Key Takeaway Seek balance between power limits and benefits. Themes politics law philosophy government rights Mood thoughtful inquisitive Type theoretical philosophical When to use this quote - policy making - legal education - civic engagement - constitutional drafting Key Concepts Social contract checks and balances public good Questions to Reflect On - What limits are essential for freedom? - How can benefits be measured? A Different Perspective Balancing can be difficult when benefits are ambiguous. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [American tradition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-tradition/) [Constitution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/constitution/) [Constitutional](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/constitutional/) [Constitutional Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/constitutional-thinking-1509791/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Thinking Understood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking-understood-1509793/) [Tradition Constitutional](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tradition-constitutional-1509792/) ## Related quotes > [Let us face reality. The framers (of the Constitution) have simply been too shrewd for us. They have outwitted us. They designed separate institutions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-macgregor-burns/let-us-face-reality-the-framers-of-the-constitution-have-simply-been/) [James MacGregor Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-macgregor-burns/) > [The Constitutional framework of checks and balances matters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-pruitt/the-constitutional-framework-of-checks-and-balances-matters/) [Scott Pruitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-pruitt/) > [Nothing in the 14th Amendment or in any other constitutional provision suggests that the president may usurp legislative power to prevent a violation of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-tribe/nothing-in-the-14th-amendment-or-in-any-other-constitutional/) [Laurence Tribe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-tribe/) > [We are a constitutional democracy. 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Only the constitutional courts can interpret the constitution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-kabila/i-cannot-interpret-the-constitution-only-the-constitutional-courts/) [Joseph Kabila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-kabila/) > [On this day, when we're celebrating our constitutional heritage, I urge you to be faithful to that heritage - to impose on our fellow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonin-scalia/on-this-day-when-we-re-celebrating-our-constitutional-heritage-i-urge/) [Antonin Scalia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonin-scalia/) > [Anti-corruption is a core constitutional value. 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Your words make the trail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-glancy/the-word-is-important-in-native-american-tradition-you-speak-the-path/) [Diane Glancy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-glancy/) > [Thanksgiving is one of my favorite American traditions. I quickly picked it up when I moved to the U.S. from Sweden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-samuelsson/thanksgiving-is-one-of-my-favorite-american-traditions-i-quickly/) [Marcus Samuelsson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-samuelsson/) > [American traditions and the American ethic require us to be truthful, but the most important reason is that truth is the best propaganda and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-r-murrow/american-traditions-and-the-american-ethic-require-us-to-be-truthful/) [Edward R. Murrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-r-murrow/) > [Is the American tradition of self-reliance disappearing? That's a painful question for conservatives to ponder. After all, we're dedicated to reducing the role of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-feulner/is-the-american-tradition-of-self-reliance-disappearing-that-s-a/) [Edwin Feulner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-feulner/) ## More by Roger Scruton > [Beauty is vanishing from our world because we live as though it does not matter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-scruton/beauty-is-vanishing-from-our-world-because-we-live-as-though-it-does/) [Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/) > [“So conceived, the English police force served to emphasize a fundamental truth about the English law, which is that it exists not to control…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-scruton/so-conceived-the-english-police-force-served-to-emphasize-a/) [Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/) > [My 2018 ended with a hate storm, in response to my appointment as chair of the government's Building Better, Building Beautiful Commission.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-scruton/my-2018-ended-with-a-hate-storm-in-response-to-my-appointment-as/) [Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/) > [I've never been an optimist, but that's fine because pessimists have the possibility of being agreeably surprised.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-scruton/i-ve-never-been-an-optimist-but-that-s-fine-because-pessimists-have/) [Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/) > [Unlike every other product that is now manufactured for the table, wine exists in as many varieties as there are people who produce it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-scruton/unlike-every-other-product-that-is-now-manufactured-for-the-table/) [Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/) > [The abstract, unreal freedom of the liberal intellect was really nothing more than childish disobedience, amplified into anarchy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-scruton/the-abstract-unreal-freedom-of-the-liberal-intellect-was-really/) [Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/) > [“I think we can all see the force of the idea that there are certain things that cannot be done to human beings –…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-scruton/i-think-we-can-all-see-the-force-of-the-idea-that-there-are-certain/) [Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/) > [When art becomes merely shock value, our sense of humanity is slowly degraded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-scruton/when-art-becomes-merely-shock-value-our-sense-of-humanity-is-slowly/) [Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/) > [“Western democracies did not create the virtue of citizenship; on the contrary, they grew from it. Nothing is more evident in The Federalist than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-scruton/western-democracies-did-not-create-the-virtue-of-citizenship-on-the/) [Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/) > [“If one looks back to the French Revolution, one sees just how easy it is for the doctrine of “human rights” to become an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-scruton/if-one-looks-back-to-the-french-revolution-one-sees-just-how-easy-it/) [Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/) > [“I say it was immediately apparent, but it was not apparent to the intellectual class, which has remained largely wedded to the post-war consensus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-scruton/i-say-it-was-immediately-apparent-but-it-was-not-apparent-to-the/) [Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/) > [Conservatives hold on to things not only because they are attached to them, but also because they do not see the sense in radical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-scruton/conservatives-hold-on-to-things-not-only-because-they-are-attached-to/) [Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/) > [“Academic philosophers in the English speaking world still regard philosophy as Locke defined it in the 17th century, as “the handmaiden of the sciences”:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-scruton/academic-philosophers-in-the-english-speaking-world-still-regard/) [Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/) > [Delia Smith is, actually, my bete noire. I consider her a most pernicious influence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-scruton/delia-smith-is-actually-my-bete-noire-i-consider-her-a-most/) [Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/) > [Modern art was born from a desire to destroy kitsch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-scruton/modern-art-was-born-from-a-desire-to-destroy-kitsch/) [Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/) [Explore all 317 Roger Scruton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/) ## More American tradition quotes > [American traditions and the American ethic require us to be truthful, but the most important reason is that truth is the best propaganda and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-r-murrow/american-traditions-and-the-american-ethic-require-us-to-be-truthful/) [Edward R. Murrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-r-murrow/) > [Thanksgiving is one of my favorite American traditions. I quickly picked it up when I moved to the U.S. from Sweden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-samuelsson/thanksgiving-is-one-of-my-favorite-american-traditions-i-quickly/) [Marcus Samuelsson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-samuelsson/) > [The word is important in Native American tradition. You speak the path on which you walk. Your words make the trail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-glancy/the-word-is-important-in-native-american-tradition-you-speak-the-path/) [Diane Glancy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-glancy/) > [Is the American tradition of self-reliance disappearing? That's a painful question for conservatives to ponder. After all, we're dedicated to reducing the role of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-feulner/is-the-american-tradition-of-self-reliance-disappearing-that-s-a/) [Edwin Feulner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-feulner/) > [The United States of America is still run by its citizens. The government works for us. Rank imperialism and warmongering are not American traditions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-ivins/the-united-states-of-america-is-still-run-by-its-citizens-the/) [Molly Ivins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-ivins/) > [Anyone in any walk of life who is content with mediocrity is untrue to himself and to American tradition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/anyone-in-any-walk-of-life-who-is-content-with-mediocrity-is-untrue/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I like the sensitive look of traditional French films and the fact that the children are often portrayed as rebels, but I also like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/celine-sciamma/i-like-the-sensitive-look-of-traditional-french-films-and-the-fact/) [Celine Sciamma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/celine-sciamma/) > [The principle of self defense is an American tradition that began at Lexington and Concord.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-f-williams/the-principle-of-self-defense-is-an-american-tradition-that-began-at/) [Robert F. Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-f-williams/) > [Satan is attacking the great institutions of America, using those great vices of pride, vanity, and sensuality as the root to attack all of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-santorum/satan-is-attacking-the-great-institutions-of-america-using-those/) [Rick Santorum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-santorum/) > [There's probably more in the American tradition than people give the place credit for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-judd/there-s-probably-more-in-the-american-tradition-than-people-give-the/) [Donald Judd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-judd/) > [I don't feel the individualist anarchists, particularly in the American tradition, including the Transcendental tradition of New England, in any way deserve the derogatory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-bookchin/i-don-t-feel-the-individualist-anarchists-particularly-in-the/) [Murray Bookchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-bookchin/) > [And I should like to assure you, my Islamic friends, that under the American Constitution, under American tradition, and in American hearts, this Center,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/and-i-should-like-to-assure-you-my-islamic-friends-that-under-the/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [I think that Hillary Clinton has an appreciation that American power needs to be put in the service of American values, which is an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-fried/i-think-that-hillary-clinton-has-an-appreciation-that-american-power/) [Daniel Fried](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-fried/) > [When they talk about family values, it's in a repressive way, as if our American tradition were only the Puritan tradition or the 19th…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hillman/when-they-talk-about-family-values-it-s-in-a-repressive-way-as-if-our/) [James Hillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hillman/) > [In view of the tide of religiosity engulfing a once secular republic it is refreshing to be reminded by Freethinkers that free thought and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/in-view-of-the-tide-of-religiosity-engulfing-a-once-secular-republic/) [Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/) [Browse all 57 American tradition quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-tradition/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The Anglo-American tradition of constitutional thinking should be understood in this way, as addressing the question of how to limit the power of government, without losing its benefits. 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