Wonderful Compromise

The word “perfect,” when used to describe any subject, elicits thoughts of unity, integrity, wholeness, completeness, purity, etc. As the endeavors of the Founders have been described as intended to create “a more perfect union,” the amount of compromise that was required to bring about the product seems to be in contrast with the idea of perfection.

While watching the film A More Perfect Union, I found myself growing frustrated with the battle between the small and large states. To me, as to Madison and others, it seems that true liberty would have been served by having both houses of the Legislature determined by the population. The failure of the “larger states” to secure this would make me think that the desire to create a “perfect” nation was not fulfilled. And that is definitely true.

The epiphany that Madison has about the need to compromise had quite an effect on me, despite the fact the movie was plagued with a terrible score, acting, cinematography, and sound quality. While the ideals to create a perfect nation served as motivation for the Congress and all of Madison’s work, the great good that eventually came out of that work was that a more perfect nation was created.

One of my main struggles with politics is that it is so subjective, and that there are no absolutes. What is best for one person might not be what is best for me. This complicates things. Or so I thought. This is only a problem if the goal of government is to be perfect. I no longer think that it is. Its goal is to meet the needs of people, whatever they may be. This requires compromise and a give and take attitude.

This attitude, this willingness to give and take that government requires, is actually a great thing. In life, it is required of s to give and take, to be willing to sacrifice our wants to the wants of others at times. This is what makes us good people. And a system of government that encourages that by necessity is accomplishing good. Such might have been Madison’s epiphany, and even though it was hundreds of years ago that this idea came to him, I experience it still today as a powerful and useful discovery.