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Question 21
Delattre reminds us that the founders knew the system they formed was imperfect, that even good people
are motivated by self-interest and that all of us make grievous mistakes. However, attempts to prevent every
social evil would lead to
by government, including religious and political persecution.
O excesses
O corruption
2 pts
Omisconduct

User DJG
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1 Answer

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Final answer:

The Founders feared that a government trying to prevent all social evils could lead to excesses and corruption. They designed the U.S. Constitution to divide power and prevent any single entity from having absolute control, reflecting the principle that absolute power corrupts absolutely.

excesses , is the correct answer.

Step-by-step explanation:

The concern of the founders about imperfections in the system they created, the influence of self-interest, and the inevitability of mistakes by good people is a fundamental topic in understanding their intent behind the US Constitution and early political philosophy. Delattre indicates that preventing every social evil by the government would lead to excesses, which could include corruption and misconduct, potentially resulting in religious and political persecution. The founders sought to avoid corruption by power through a division of powers, ensuring that no single entity had absolute control. This is rooted in the awareness, as Lord Acton famously cautioned, that "Power tends to corrupt; absolute power corrupts absolutely." Engaging in attempts to prevent all evils could overextend the role of government and lead to greater tyranny.

User David Coggins
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