On Thursday, March 7th, Professor Robert George of Princeton University spoke at the Hinckley Center to the Wheatley Institute on “The Constitution and Civic Virtue.” Notable attendees were Elder Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, Elder Matthew Holland of the Seventy, Elder Clark Gilbert of the Church Educational System, and BYU President Shane Reese.
Professor George began by dedicating his remarks to the late Elder L. Tom Perry.
Even in a democratic republic, George explained, public officials are rulers– they make, dispute, and enforce rules. However, these rulers are not absolute; the rulers themselves are “subject to rules.” The democratic processes by which they were appointed guide and moderate their power. Yet, George notes, at the end of the day, “they rule.” However, Professor George noted the aspect of service involved in ruling; good rulers serve their constituents. They rule well as they serve their community.
To truly be a “public servant,” the ruler must execute decisions on behalf of the common good, a good that must conform to the human good. Professor George noted that there is no such thing as perfect “neutrality”; any assertion of the common good must conform to the requirements of natural law and Justice and must, therefore, assert a positive view of the good- a view that cannot ultimately be neutral. Of course, George noted that there can and will be disagreements as to what exactly the common good is; disagreements range from the trivial to the great questions of justice. Hence, George noted that there is a possibility of committing great acts of injustice in pursuit of the true form of justice; such is the nature of this fallen world.
Professor George noted the example of slavery; slavery harmed not only the individual victims but also the slaveholders themselves. Injustice, even if materially benefitted from in the case of the slaveholders, damages the soul and the spirit.
Even in a society of “perfect saints,” George explained, we would need rulers to rule. Ruling is necessary for a functioning and flourishing society to “protect public health, uphold morals, and advance the overall common good.” Despite this, George noted a moral justification for the ruler: “The right of legitimate rulers to rule is rooted in the duty of the rulers to rule in the interests of the ruled; the basis of the right to rule is the duty to serve.” By ruling in favor of the common good, the rulers “serve” the ruled.
What exactly is the common good? Professor George described it as a “set of conditions that enable individuals, families, and churches to flourish.” He continued by encouraging the audience to protect the common good in “negative” and “positive” ways by “not interfering in the rightful conduct of families, churches, etc.” Otherwise, George noted, we “undermine the common good.”
George noted that flourishing does not consist of merely “getting things” or having “pleasurable experiences.” Rather, George argued, flourishing consists in “experience,” “living a life of activity,” and “doing things.” The common good, then, is brought about by active political experience, by creating friendships and relationships with others. George noted that there must be a “limited government” to allow for the necessary action that constitutes the common good. The government, then, “must respect this obligation” of action. George argued that such a limited government does not imply a “doctrinaire libertarian” form, nor does it imply the complete separation of the government from its interest in the family.
To prevent the government from encroaching on areas of private life that must not be encroached on, Professor George noted the necessity of local-level institutions and organizations where such actions can be performed outside the power of government. This “diffusion of power” benefits society as a whole by offering liberty, opportunity, and security to the public. Limited government properly understood “promotes the little platoons” that “play the primary role of transmitting to each new generation the virtues… of integrity, self-restraint, respect for others, respect for dignity and rights, civic-mindedness, etc.”
The governmental institutions we revere, George noted, ultimately rely on good citizens; these good citizens are produced from the local level “little platoons,” from “mom and dad, grandma and grandpa, pastor and priest, coach and teacher.” Thus, Professor George explained, “When government or private corporations damage the family or promote family disintegration or immoral practices, they undermine the very institution on which they rely to produce their workers, their voters, and their citizens.”
Professor George concluded by explaining that hyper-focusing on the institutions or constitutional restraints can only go so far; ultimately, the survival of these cherished institutions relies on “the virtue of the citizens.” “The people and the virtue of the people,” George explained, “are the primary control on the government, the enumerated restraints are secondary; we rely for the most part on the honor of the people, of a moral and a religious people.” Without a virtuous people, the Constitution becomes nothing more than “words on a page.”
Robert George is the McCormick Professor of Jurisprudence and is the Founder and current Director of the James Madison Program. Professor George has written on a broad range of topics, including bioethics, constitutionalism, natural law, and family life, which can be found here.
Written by: The Cougar Chronicle
The Cougar Chronicle is an independent student-run newspaper and is not affiliated with Brigham Young University or The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
