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well the other thing though is Madison was quite clear that all his various structures would not work if the people lack virtue

"Is there no virtue among us? If there be not, we are in a wretched situation. No theoretical checks--no form of government can render us secure. To suppose that any form of government will secure liberty or happiness without any virtue in the people, is a chimerical idea."

"If a nation wishes to bring in Hitler, it can do that through election as easily as by other means... Free elections come from free men, not vice versa." bsky.app/profile/ryan...

I will say Madison's specific idea of getting this by separating legislative and executive branches does not work. what you want is thriving civil society, above all mass unionization bsky.app/profile/mark...

proportional parliaments are provably more durable than presidential systems--though not invulnerable!--and for obvious institutional design reasons prospect.org/2023/10/23/2...