To the annoyance of Charles II, Algernon Sidney argued that there was no one right form of Government, nor one perfect policy; human frailty was such that we could never hope to create such an infallible state, and we should therefore devise a constitution that allows statesmen to meet current needs while leaving ample room for dissent and change.

Sidney went on to liken Charles’s politics to a doctor who prescribes one remedy for every disease, or to an architect who designs all his houses to the same plan, or to a general who employs the same tactics in all his battles. Certainly, some fundamentals remain constant; but many important things must vary with place and time.

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