If Men Be Good

William Penn is credited with the statement that “If men be good, government cannot be bad.”¹ On first hearing, one may be inclined to challenge the idea altogether. Certainly there would seem to be many exceptions. History records innumberable instances where the will and wishes of peoples have been swept aside. But despite the seeming exceptions, the persistence of any condition suggests that it is made possible either by the positive promotion or the passive permission of a significant number of people. No tyrant or misguided leader stands alone. No false way persists without followers. And the fact that there is a sufficient following is in itself evidence of a compromiseing condition on the part of the people. The very existence of tyranny, or corruption, of abuse, of evil and excess, anywhere, anytime, is in itself an indication that somewhere along the line an alarming number have relaxed their standards and their vigilance. Such things don’t permanently and flagrantly persist against the active and earnest opposition of a preponderant part of the people. And William Penn’s statement is both disturbing and challenging because it places the responsibility right back where it belongs, and takes some pleasure from the prevalent and age-old practice of blaming everyone else while sitting back and doing nothing about the practices that are complained of. It challenges us to ask ourselves: What obligations and interests have we neglected? What vital things have we been too busy to bother with? What compromises of principle have we permitted? What basic departures have we consented to? What situations have we complacently assumed someone else would correct? At what abuses have we shrugged our shoulders? Admitting all the exceptions, admitting all situations in which people are unwillingly imposed upon, still essentially, and in perspective, governments, cities, societies are largely a reflection of people. And if there are abuses, if there are evils, if there are flagrant departures from principle, we had better begin with an honest scrutiny of ourselves, and soberly look again at this sentence from William Penn: “If men be good, government cannot be bad.”