“What becomes of the surplus of human life? It is either, 1st destroyed by infanticide, as among the Chinese and Lacedemonians; or 2nd it is stifled or starved, as among other nations whose population is commensurate to its food; or 3rd it is consumed by wars and endemic diseases; or 4th it overflows, by emigration, to places where a surplus of food is attainable.”

Whats Up with this Quote? Did he see the path of least resistance to annialating 90% of the world?

"What becomes of the surplus of human life?"

It becomes indoctrinated by religion.

I see his point. People once came to America for freedom and opportunity. Now they come for the freebies.

Right on cal, Lewisville.

Madison is simply stating the facts. It is not surprising that the 'surplus of human life' would be reduced to prayer for their salvation -- their human oppressors will not help. Organized religion is political power. Expect it to rise up wherever the people have been reduced to living in a tent city built out of garbage -- I have personally been in these ghettos in India.

Archer the ghetto's are world wide. Faith is the most powerful thing in the universe. Thank God for our founding fathers, who had the faith in God to REVOLT against tyranny and oppression, and declare so, with our Constitution. The fight does come, and is upon us. Never suppress the revolting spirit of man and his ability to speak out and act upon it. Keep the brushfires burning in the minds of the people, who would be free.

Ronw13 - Excelsior! And, yes "Thank God for our founding fathers" who bestowed on this sovereign nation the protection of the natural rights of all individuals in their right to "Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness."
As for those trashing and bashing "Organized Religion" ... well, we have numerous religions and their parishioners joining in the pursuit of joining together to gather food, clothing and other necessities of life to help those less fortunate.
That volunteer help has been taking place in my own community with various religious denominations joining together and forming a soup kitchen to feed the homeless on a daily and regular basis.
There is also a food pantry in our local community manned and voluntarily worked by individuals and helped by churches and businesses garnering and gathering produce.

Well said Mary, From out of the many come the few, as also in our community. Thank you. this is true religion. Threskos in nature as I was taught to relate in simplicity. No more or less than someone who cares for their neighbor. I am human, not a denomination.

And we now know that Obama has chosen #3 for America - with a 62% fatality rate, he is sure to eliminate the elderly and infirm and the many of the young, but the last category is not a problem since he is busily welcoming the "future of America" his words, not mine , in from the southern border.

I am referring of course to his refusal to protect our populace from Ebola; his stewardess-like monotonous speech that" in the unlikely event "that it will reach our shores... his CDC director insisting that it is a "very difficult disease to contract" "requires bodily fluid exchange" " not airborne"....just wait.

Play not in the hands of fear, in the eyes of adversity . But direct your motion to that which you do, not what you say ! Watchman 13 , We do in that that we believe in. Semper Fi. H Rearden , it is a mute point.

A good start to the list. Without further context, the stand alone quote doesn't really do justice to the underlying causes, atrocities and suffering. Religion is more than here referenced in the comments and belongs on the list. As to religion, the dregs of human surplus are being deployed throughout Europe at/by the whims of a more controlling demonic religion. The occupying statist theocracy infesting this land, through its macabre death cult dogmas is defining all non-patron chattel to be human surplus. The death cult's dogma, direction and actions are exclusive of economic death, educational death — assisted by censorship -, death of liberty and inalienable rights, death by human sacrifice to their gods of pleasure and life style, etc., etc., etc. All religion (organized or otherwise) is not bad. It has been my experience that at any natural disaster organized religion, along with independent believers appear to help and assist any/everywhere needed, even before government or anyone else.

Madison’s prediction #2 has never happened. #1 is insane. #3 is nature and human nature. #4 is a fundamental human right

I think he caught it somewhat backwards. Surplus of food (actually, surplus of carbohydrates with too few protein and vitamins, but this other topic) is what causes surplus of humans. Since the dawn of time. Early societies everywhere quickly realized that, and seeing how increasing numbers could quickly creat havoc in their lifestyles, created mechanisms to hold their numbers down, from communities splits, to abortion, to infanticide, etc. It took a long while until a few groups decided to let the numbers go loose, and considered human lives as "the ultimate good" or something like that. From that, a few thousand years and we're in our current mess.