​Governments can bring unimaginable suffering and death. That can be through war, oppression, or more subtle means, such as destroying an economy.
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Certainly, reasonable laws and enforcement are needed to create a civil and peaceful society. The issue is, who gets to make those laws.

Some would say democracy is the answer. But pure democracy provides no assurance that the majority would make just decisions for the long-term benefit of society. In fact, history proves that majority opinion is usually wrong. Slavery, racism, sexism, and medical, scientific, and religious ideas once held by majorities, were wrong. Moreover, there is nothing to prevent the majority of a population from voting to confiscate the property and wealth of the minority, or even kill or imprison them. Democracy is mob rule dressed up in a coat and tie. Hitler was elected by a democratic vote.
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That's why a benign and perfectly just dictator is the best form of government. Unfortunately, such a person does not exist. But that doesn't mean a carefully crafted written document setting forth laws that guarantee freedom eternally, could not be such a dictator.
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In effect, that's what the U.S. Constitution is. It's the supreme law of the land guaranteeing life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Notice that all citizens are bound to it and all elected officials and immigrants must swear an oath to it. We are not a democracy, but rather a Constitutional Republic. Governmental officials are elected democratically, but they are bound to the dictator, the Constitution.

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The only way freedom can be preserved is by citizens holding elected officials to the Constitution. That requires knowledge of the Constitution. But we are not taught the Constitution or the Magna Carta (1215) upon which it is based in school. Very few people have ever even read them. Even lawyers who become judges and politicians are not taught the Constitution line-by-line in most law schools.

Citizens have the right and duty to enforce the Constitution by their votes. But that implies Constitutional knowledge. Therefore, no person should be allowed to vote unless they can pass a Constitution literacy test. (That includes the 16-year-old children and illegal immigrants some want to expand voting rights to.) Given that politicians cannot be trusted to do anything other than look out after their own self-interests, how else can the freedoms and opportunity for economic viability a Constitutional Republic guarantees ever hope to last?

People are required to pass a driver's test to obtain a license. They should be required to pass a test of Constitutional competency to drive a country with their vote.
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Words of Wisdom:
The wisdom of citizens over government regulators: One morning, the husband returns the boat to their lakeside cottage after several hours of fishing and decides to take a nap. Although not familiar with the lake, the wife decides to take the boat out. She motors out a short distance, anchors, puts her feet up, and begins to read her book. The peace and solitude are magnificent. Along comes a Fish and Game Warden in his boat. He pulls up alongside the woman and says, Good morning, Ma'am. What are you doing? Reading a book, she replies, (thinking, Isn't that obvious?) You're in a Restricted Fishing Area, he informs her. I'm sorry, officer, but I'm not fishing. I'm reading. Yes, but I see you have all the equipment. For all I know you could start at any moment. I'll have to take you in and write you up. If you do that, I'll have to charge you with sexual assault, says the woman. But I haven't even touched you, says the Game Warden. That's true, but you have all the equipment. For all I know you could start at any moment. Have a nice day ma'am, and he left.