Ezra Taft Benson former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture
October 21, 1968
In this landmark address on “The Proper Role of Government”, Benson lays out a clear, principle based view of limited government that rests on the same foundation the Founders used:
God-given Inalienable rights to
~Liberty~
~Life~
~Property~
Government exists only as the servant of the people. It may do only what individuals themselves have the right to do:
Protect against
~Force~
~Theft~
~Involuntary servitude~
~It has no legitimate power to redistribute wealth or force charity~
Core Points
~Rights come from God, not from government~
~The people create government and remain its master~
~The creature cannot exceed the creator~
~Welfare-state programs that take from one to give to another become legalized plunder~
~Local and state government should handle most functions; federal power must stay limited~
This speech remains one of the clearest modern restatements of the principles in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.
This speech is essential listening for anyone who wants to understand what a free, self-governing people actually authorized their government to do.
