| That specific line makes it sound like Franklin thought despotism would be a result of the Constitution. But the full quote makes it obvious that he thought very highly of the Constitution: ...this is likely to be well administered for a course of years, and can only end in Despotism, as other forms have done before it, when the people shall become so corrupted as to need despotic Government, being incapable of any other. I doubt too whether any other Convention we can obtain, may be able to make a better Constitution.... It therefore astonishes me, Sir, to find this system approaching so near to perfection as it does... Thus I consent, Sir, to this Constitution because I expect no better, and because I am not sure, that it is not the best.[0] He means that the Constitution will continue until no other form of government but despotism is possible, not that it leads to despotism. Also note that despotism and tyranny are not exactly the same form of government (the main relevant difference is that despotism can be benevolent), and that the distinction would have been more significant in Franklin's time.[1] I think that a more modern phrasing would be something like: ...the Constitution will be administered well for a while, and will last until the country becomes so corrupt that only a despot could maintain order. [0] http://www.usconstitution.net/franklin.html [1] http://www.differencebetween.net/miscellaneous/politics/what... edit: formatting |