Justice and power must be brought together, so that whatever is

Blaise Pascal, philosopher of paradox and seeker of divine order, spoke with piercing clarity when he declared: “Justice and power must be brought together, so that whatever is just may be powerful, and whatever is powerful may be just.” In this utterance he unmasks the eternal dilemma of rulers and nations: that justice without power is frail, while power without justice is tyranny. To unite them is to secure the foundations of a world where truth not only shines but prevails.

The heart of his teaching lies in the marriage of strength and righteousness. Justice alone, though noble, may be ignored if it carries no force. Power alone, though mighty, becomes monstrous when unrestrained by moral law. Pascal warns that the two must walk hand in hand: the sword guided by truth, and truth guarded by the sword. Only then can men dwell in a society where authority does not oppress, and virtue does not perish.

History offers solemn proof. Consider the fall of the Roman Republic. In its later days, power rested in the hands of generals and ambitious men, while justice—the voice of the Senate and the rights of citizens—was trampled. The balance was lost, and Rome slid into the long night of empire, where might ruled more often than right. Their tragedy reveals Pascal’s wisdom: when justice and power are divided, corruption and collapse soon follow.

Yet there are moments of triumph. Abraham Lincoln, in the crucible of civil war, sought not merely victory but the union of justice and power. His Emancipation Proclamation was not only an act of morality but also a strategic turning point, fusing righteousness with the might of the Union armies. It was this union that preserved the nation and redefined freedom. Here, Pascal’s vision found life: what was just became powerful, and what was powerful became just.

O children of tomorrow, carry this wisdom as a law for leaders and citizens alike: seek not justice without strength, nor power without righteousness. When you hold authority, bind it to mercy; when you uphold truth, give it force enough to endure. For the world is torn apart when these two drift apart, but healed when they are joined. Remember Pascal’s words: the highest order of society is that in which justice and power are one, shining like the sun—both mighty and good.