Question

This passage about government is from Federalist No. 51.

"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… the great difficulty lies in this; you must first enable to government to control the governed; and in the next place oblige it to control itself."

How are the author’s views from this passage applied in the U.S. Constitution?
Responses

The U.S. Constitution limits the rights of people.
The U.S. Constitution limits the rights of people.

The U.S. Constitution limits the power of the national government.
The U.S. Constitution limits the power of the national government.

The U.S. Constitution requires the states to provide for the common defense.
The U.S. Constitution requires the states to provide for the common defense.

The U.S. Constitution requires the government to promote the general welfare.
The U.S. Constitution requires the government to promote the general welfare.
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Answer 1

The U.S. Constitution limits the power of the national government.

Why: Federalist No. 51 argues government must be enabled to govern but also constrained. The Constitution does that by granting powers (enumerated powers, a federal government) while building in internal limits — separation of powers among legislative, executive, and judicial branches and a system of checks and balances — and external limits — federalism and the Bill of Rights protecting individual liberties.