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James Madison, Federalist No. 51 (often misremembered as 52).
Here is the exact passage Madison wrote:
**“If men were angels, no government would be necessary. If angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls on government would be necessary.
In framing a government which is to be administered by men over men, the great difficulty lies in this:
you must first enable the government to control the governed; and in the next place oblige it to control itself.”
This appears in Federalist No. 51 (1788), in Madison’s discussion of checks and balances and separation of powers.
What Madison meant
- “Control the governed” → Government needs enough authority to maintain order, enforce laws, and function.
- “Oblige it to control itself” → Power must be restrained so it doesn’t become tyranny.
- The solution:
- separation of powers
- checks and balances
- federalism
- frequent elections (which Federalist 52 actually focuses on)
James Madison was an American statesman, diplomat, and Founding Father who served as the fourth president of the United States from 1809 to 1817.