The people are turbulent and changing; they seldom judge right or make good decision.
Interpretation
People are often inconsistent and make poor choices due to their nature.
In this quote, Alexander Hamilton reflects on the unpredictable nature of the populace, suggesting that because people can be easily swayed and are often driven by emotions rather than reason, they may struggle to make sound judgments. This highlights the inherent challenges in governance and leadership, as decisions made in the heat of the moment may not always lead to the best outcomes for society.
In practice
During a debate on societal reforms, one could cite this quote to emphasize the challenges of public opinion.
When men, engaged in unjustifiable pursuits, are aware that obstructions may come from a quarter which bare apprehension of opposition from doing what they would with eagerness rush into if no such external impediments were to be feared.
The tendency of a national bank is to increase public and private credit. The former gives power to the state, for the protection of its rights and interests: and the latter facilitates and extends the operations of commerce among individuals. Industry is increased, commodities are multiplied, agriculture and manufacturers flourish: and herein consists the true wealth and prosperity of a state.
It's not tyranny we desire; it's a just, limited, federal government.
The Achaeans soon experienced, as often happens, that a victorious and powerful ally is but another name for a master.
The true principle of a republic is that the people should choose whom they please to govern them. Representation is imperfect, in proportion as the current of popular favor is checked. The great source of free government, popular election, should be perfectly pure, and the most unbounded liberty allowed.
Good and wise men, in all ages, have embraced a very dissimilar theory. They have supposed that the deity, from the relations we stand in to himself and to each other, has constituted an eternal and immutable law, which is indispensably obligatory upon all mankind, prior to any human institution whatever. This is what is called the law of nature....Upon this law depend the natural rights of mankind.
Actually, your soul and mine are the same. We appear and disappear with each other.
My soul is from elsewhere, I'm sure of that, and I intend to end up there.
Nothing is harder to see into thanpeoples nature. The sage looks at subtle phenomena and listens tosmall voices. This harmonizes the outside with the inside and the inside with the outside.
The human voice is the organ of the soul.
The day nothing turns you on - you're dead. No matter how many more years you go on breathing.
The mission of the press is to spread culture while destroying the attention span.
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