"All that a good government aims at... is to add no unnecessary and artificial aid to the force of its own unavoidable consequences, and to abstain from fortifying and accumulating social inequality as a means of increasing political inequalities"

James F. Cooper articulates a vision of government rooted in restraint and fairness, emphasizing the need for political authority to avoid exacerbating existing imbalances in society. The essence of his message is that a just government should not interfere in ways that create or deepen inequalities among its citizens. Cooper recognizes that every law or policy inevitably brings consequences, some intended, some unavoidable. Responsible governance lies in accepting these natural outcomes but resisting any temptation to magnify or multiply disparities through unnecessary or artificial interventions.

He calls attention to the distinction between what is inevitable in governance and what is engineered or manipulated by those in power. Only the natural repercussions of political actions should be tolerated, not outcomes produced for the advantage of certain groups or as tools for political dominance. Cooper warns against using state mechanisms to strengthen existing divisions between rich and poor, privileged and less privileged. Doing so, he implies, perverts the aim of government from serving the collective welfare to reinforcing the stronghold of the powerful.

The phrase “fortifying and accumulating social inequality as a means of increasing political inequalities” conveys a critical ethical warning. When institutions entrench social disparities, be it through selective laws, favoritism, or systematic discrimination, they feed a cycle where political inequality follows social and economic advancement for a select few. By piling on social advantages for one class or group, governments end up expanding the gap not just in income or status but in voice, influence, and opportunity.

Cooper’s reflection resonates with principles of democratic equality. He advocates for vigilance against the institutionalization of privilege, suggesting that the highest goal of good governance is to avoid deepening divides and to promote an even footing. He urges policymakers to use their authority cautiously, conscious that every artificial aid, if misplaced, risks undermining the fundamental fairness upon which stable and just societies depend.