This view point was the basis of the US Constitution. Do not trust any central power. Pit them against each other to limit what they can do. Enumerate the ri

This view point was the basis of the US Constitution. Do not trust any central power. Pit them against each other to limit what they can do. Enumerate the rights of the people that government can not infringe. The whole thing is based on the assumption that human nature tends to lead to exploitation of others, and build in safeguards against it.