1. SPS Accounts:
    Do you find yourself coming back time after time? Do you appreciate the ongoing hard work to keep this community focused and successful in its mission? Please consider supporting us by upgrading to an SPS Account. Besides the warm and fuzzy feeling that comes from supporting a good cause, you'll also get a significant number of ever-expanding perks and benefits on the site and the forums. Click here to find out more.
    Dismiss Notice
Dismiss Notice
You are currently viewing Boards o' Magick as a guest, but you can register an account here. Registration is fast, easy and free. Once registered you will have access to search the forums, create and respond to threads, PM other members, upload screenshots and access many other features unavailable to guests.

BoM cultivates a friendly and welcoming atmosphere. We have been aiming for quality over quantity with our forums from their inception, and believe that this distinction is truly tangible and valued by our members. We'd love to have you join us today!

(If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact us. If you've forgotten your username or password, click here.)

The rationale behind the rule of law, and why I like drinking coffee

Discussion in 'Alley of Dangerous Angles' started by Ragusa, May 15, 2007.

  1. Ragusa

    Ragusa Eternal Halfling Paladin Veteran

    Joined:
    Nov 26, 2000
    Messages:
    10,140
    Media:
    63
    Likes Received:
    250
    Gender:
    Male
    Remove all ads!
    There is Lord Acton's oft quoted adage that power corrupts and that absolute power corrupts absolutely.

    While that is a cool soundbite, it leaves open the question why that is so. I think the deeper point Acton makes is quite correct. Exercising power results in various degrees of coercion.

    The reason why unbound power corrupts is that whatever wields the coercive power cannot coerce itself.

    Thomas Aquinas gave the only solution to that problem: The source of coercive power, through a commitment of its own will, must bind itself to abide by the law in good faith. Without this, the rule of law would not exist. It’s not much on which to rest the rule of law, but there is no other way.

    :coffee: That came to me while I drank my morning coffee. :coffee2: It gives me my moments of zen ;)
    PS: That should also explain why I see the 'unitary executive branch' reasoning as so dangerous and keep bashing at it :deadhorse:
    It is imperative to do so.

    [ May 15, 2007, 20:26: Message edited by: Ragusa ]
     
    Ragusa, May 15, 2007
    #1
  2. T2Bruno

    T2Bruno The only source of knowledge is experience Distinguished Member ★ SPS Account Holder Adored Veteran New Server Contributor [2012] (for helping Sorcerer's Place lease a new, more powerful server!) Torment: Tides of Numenera SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!)

    Joined:
    Nov 12, 2004
    Messages:
    9,776
    Media:
    15
    Likes Received:
    440
    Gender:
    Male
    "Power tends to corrupt. Absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men."
     
    T2Bruno, May 15, 2007
    #2
  3. Ragusa

    Ragusa Eternal Halfling Paladin Veteran

    Joined:
    Nov 26, 2000
    Messages:
    10,140
    Media:
    63
    Likes Received:
    250
    Gender:
    Male
    Thanks for specifying the quote.
     
    Ragusa, May 15, 2007
    #3
Sorcerer's Place is a project run entirely by fans and for fans. Maintaining Sorcerer's Place and a stable environment for all our hosted sites requires a substantial amount of our time and funds on a regular basis, so please consider supporting us to keep the site up & running smoothly. Thank you!

Sorcerers.net is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to products on amazon.com, amazon.ca and amazon.co.uk. Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.