--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If men were angels, no government would…" description: "\"“If men were angels, no government would be necessary - James Madison”\" — Steve Berry" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/747/steve-berry-10744_angel_if-men-were-angels-no-government-would-b_454661.jpg" --- # If men were angels, no government would be necessary… ![“If men were angels, no government would be necessary - James Madison” quote by Steve Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/747/steve-berry-10744_angel_if-men-were-angels-no-government-would-b_454661.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/747/steve-berry-10744_angel_if-men-were-angels-no-government-would-b_454661.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/747/steve-berry-10744_angel_if-men-were-angels-no-government-would-b_454661.jpg) > ““If men were angels, no government would be necessary - James Madison”” [Steve Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-berry/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. If humanity were perfect, there would be no need for governing structures. **In simple terms:** Perfect people need no government. Key Takeaway Recognize the role of government in imperfect societies. Themes politics human nature governance Mood reflective critical Type philosophical political When to use this quote - public policy - civic education - lawmaking Key Concepts social contract idealism Questions to Reflect On - What imperfections does government address? - Is a perfect society feasible? A Different Perspective Idealism ignores human flaws and power dynamics. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Angel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/angel/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) ## Related quotes > [If men were angels, no government would be necessary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/if-men-were-angels-no-government-would-be-necessary/) [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-2/) [James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/) > [If men were angels, no government would be necessary. 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That clouded judgment.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-berry/never-hate-your-enemy-that-clouded-judgment/) [Steve Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-berry/) > [“He’d read once that the measure of an idea was how relative it was not only to its time, but beyond. His”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-berry/he-d-read-once-that-the-measure-of-an-idea-was-how-relative-it-was/) [Steve Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-berry/) > [“They’re like chocolate-chip cookies, though. Can’t have just one.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-berry/they-re-like-chocolate-chip-cookies-though-can-t-have-just-one/) [Steve Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-berry/) > [I love all of my children equally, all of my printed books, and each one bears a special piece of me. 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Peace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-leo-i/peace-is-the-first-thing-the-angels-sang-peace-is-the-mark-of-the/) [Pope Leo I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-leo-i/) > [“Every child is born as angel.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/every-child-is-born-as-angel/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [“Behind my eyelids, I saw him dancing in spirals of coloured light, emerald, blue, and brilliant purple, enfolding him like the wings of an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-hall/behind-my-eyelids-i-saw-him-dancing-in-spirals-of-coloured-light/) [Alexis Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-hall/) > [All that I am or ever hope to be, I owe to my angel Mother.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/all-that-i-am-or-ever-hope-to-be-i-owe-to-my-angel-mother/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [I don't think people will ever forget I was an 'Angel,' anymore than they'll forget Sally Field was 'The Flying Nun.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheryl-ladd/i-don-t-think-people-will-ever-forget-i-was-an-angel-anymore-than/) [Cheryl Ladd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheryl-ladd/) > [It's a great story for us whenever an entrepreneur makes a crazy amount of money and we get to tell the world about it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-lacy/it-s-a-great-story-for-us-whenever-an-entrepreneur-makes-a-crazy/) [Sarah Lacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-lacy/) > [I believe in UFOs, I believe in extraterrestrials, and I believe in angels. 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"this is it", he said, standing by a small khaki-colored jeep."this car…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-evanovich/mooner-was-walking-around-laying-his-hands-on-the-cars-divining-karma/) [Janet Evanovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-evanovich/) [Browse all 4,625 Angel quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/angel/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“If men were angels, no government would be necessary - James Madison”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Steve Berry" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-berry/if-men-were-angels-no-government-would-be-necessary-james-madison/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Angel" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-berry/if-men-were-angels-no-government-would-be-necessary-james-madison/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/747/steve-berry-10744_angel_if-men-were-angels-no-government-would-b_454661.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/747/steve-berry-10744_angel_if-men-were-angels-no-government-would-b_454661.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/747/steve-berry-10744_angel_if-men-were-angels-no-government-would-b_454661.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If men were angels, no government would be necessary - James Madison” — Steve Berry", "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": "Steve Berry", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-berry/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“If men were angels, no government...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-berry/if-men-were-angels-no-government-would-be-necessary-james-madison/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-berry/if-men-were-angels-no-government-would-be-necessary-james-madison/#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 } } ] } ```