The Proper Role and Improper Role of Government

by Ezra Taft Benson

This booklet has been put together to help the reader obtain an understanding of the proper role of government and is regarded by many as one of the clearest and most concise statements on the proper role of government ever given.

56 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1995

About the author

The thirteenth president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) from 1985 until his death and was United States Secretary of Agriculture for both of the administrations of U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower.

On October 7, 1943, both Benson and Spencer W. Kimball (1895–1985) became members of the church's Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, filling two vacancies created by the deaths of apostles that summer. Because Kimball was the older of the two, he was given seniority over Benson in the Quorum. Succession to the presidency of the church is by chronological order of ordination to apostleship, allowing Spencer W. Kimball to become president of the church years earlier than Benson. Upon Spencer W. Kimball's death in 1985, Benson became the president of the church.

Benson suffered poor health in the last years of his life from the effects of blood clots in the brain, strokes, and heart attacks, and was rarely seen publicly. He was hospitalized in 1992 and 1993 with pneumonia.

Benson died of congestive heart failure in his Salt Lake City apartment at the age of 94. Funeral services were held June 4, 1994 in the Salt Lake Tabernacle under the direction of Gordon B. Hinckley. He was buried near his birthplace in Whitney, Idaho, at the Whitney City Cemetery.

Reviews

[Cody]

What a great book. If you are wondering what our federal government should be doing instead of what they are doing read this book! President Benson is awesome and this book really helped me to see between the greys of the government. We are the government not washington! We need to take a larger role in taking back what is ours!

[Ashleigh Son]

I love this book. Ezra Taft Benson + H. Verlan Andersen = dynamic duo of free agency! The principles found within it make so much sense to me. If I could give one honest piece of criticism, it would be that I found the comments about men needing to provide for their families, and hinting that it is a tragedy that women go into the workforce, to be quite archaic. Unfortunately there is not a "one-size-fits-all" when it comes to this kind of thing. Nowadays, there are physical and mental health issues (as well as the economic issues that Andersen did rightfully bring up) as to the reason why women do feel the need to go into the workforce, and I wish that they had at least briefly acknowledged that. I do, however, agree with them and wish that there was an OPTION for women who wish to be homemakers and stay-at-home moms to be able to do so of their own free will and choice, without government sucking the life out of our families' hard-earned money and making it impossible. Nowadays it seems like almost 100% of women MUST work or else it simply is not possible to make ends meet! I do also acknowledge that this book was written for a different time - yet the principles they brought up are more relevant than ever today, so my criticism due to my own feminist views does not make me knock off one star on my review (although I did debate to do so). A lot of the material found within this short read was the same as Benson's "The Constitution - A Heavenly Banner," and Andersen's "Many Are Called But Few Are Chosen," both of which I would HIGHLY recommend to anyone! What this book did have, though, which the other two did not, were interesting charts about the decline of America (financially), and some eye-opening quotes from the former presidents of the LDS church about their stances on free agency and socialism. I really enjoyed it!

[Apzmarshl]

Super short book, but so brilliant. Benson takes a serious look at socialism/communism and what the real role of government should be. He's spot on. Government should only have the right to do what an individual would have the right to do. I cannot steal my neighbor's paycheck to fulfill my needs, or the needs of others, and neither should the government.
I totally recommend this to everyone.

[Brandon Minster]

My review.

[Polly]

Every American, no matter their political view should become familiar with the message in this. I recommend to all!!

[Becky]

Everyone should read it!