The other George W speaks out on virtue in government

Some thoughts in honor of the birthday of America's first president (under our current Constitution):

As George Washington was completing his second and final term, he drafted a farewell address that was published in various newspapers. In it he encouraged the young nation to continue in its faithfulness to the Constitution, and he also warned against the rise of political parties. He thought that political parties, however admirable their cause, would be more concerned with gaining and maintaining power than with seeking the good of the country. History has confirmed his fears in many ways.

Of course, political parties were not the only potential source for corruption in government. Throughout history, the opportunity for political power has attracted individuals who seek power for their own good rather than for the good of those being governed. Washington understood that in order to minimize the incidence of corruption, America must be committed to electing people of virtue (good character) to public office. He argued that the only sure foundations of such virtue were religion (understood at the time to mean Christianity in its various forms) and morality, and that the government should be active in promoting them. The following is what he said about it in his farewell address:

Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports. In vain would that man claim the tribute of patriotism who should labor to subvert these great pillars of human happiness-- these firmest props of the duties of men and citizens. The mere politician, equally with the pious man, ought to respect and to cherish them. A volume could not trace all their connections with private and public felicity. Let it simply be asked, Where is the security for property, for reputation, for life, if the sense of religious obligation desert the oaths which are the instruments of investigation in courts of justice? And let us with caution indulge the supposition that morality can be maintained without religion. Whatever may be conceded to the influence of refined education on minds of peculiar structure, reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle.

It is substantially true that virtue or morality is a necessary spring of popular government. The rule indeed extends with more or less force to every species of free government. Who that is a sincere friend to it can look with indifference upon attempts to shake the foundation of the fabric? Promote, then, as an object of primary importance, institutions for the general diffusion of knowledge. In proportion as the structure of a government gives force to public opinion, it is essential that public opinion should be enlightened.

Washington -- as well as many of the other founders of this country -- believed that only religion and its related moral principles were forces powerful enough to overcome man's natural inclination to abuse power. For any official who did not believe in God, only the threat of punishment would be sufficient to restrain him. It is interesting to note that as American culture has come to value belief in God less and less, it has become necessary in modern times to pass an increasing number of laws specifying punishments for the corrupt behavior of government officials.