We use to repair things, we used to fix old our homes. Today we just want to tear out and discard. Our Republic was something we nurtured, repaired and honored. There is a call that the Old Republic isn’t working, something new is required. What they offer is not what we started with, nor we need.
This Old House
I grew up in a family run business where we rehabbed houses. This month I’ve returned to my roots of repair, reshape, renew and improve.
One night, on PBS of all places, Dad and I discovered this little show called this Old House. Bob Villa along with Norm would be working on the same sad case homes that Dad found and where I spent my summers. We’d rehab for rentals or Dad would resell.
Our Old Republic Was Already a Society Formed With Values For Growth
The Constitution was not the first governing document of the 13 new states, the Articles of Confederation were written to codify existing colonial and American law created during the Revolution. At the time, Congress was unable to levy taxes, raise and army nor regulate commerce between the states. It seemed likely that the new states would soon disband their unifying alliances because they could not organize appropriately when there was a need for a central body to an arbitrator.
But take this into perspective: no other society at this time was willing to deliberate as the American people. As noted by the historian De Tocqueville:
But it is new in the history of society to see a great people turn a calm and scrutinizing eye upon itself when apprised by the legislature that the wheels of it’s government are stopped, to see it carefully examine the extent of the evil, and patiently wait two whole years until a remedy is is discovered, to which it voluntarily submitted without its costing a tear or a drop of blood from mankind.
Republicanism versus Liberalism
These definitions have evolved to something different today. In the 1780s they meant very things.
Republicanism – In order to preserve liberty, a preventative government is formed to ensure. But history demonstrated the majority force in that republic soon become viewed as tyrannical as it sought to quell minority opinion. Without sacrificing special interests, for public interest, republics became weapons of the majority and collapsed.
Liberalism – the individual exercising their freedom to the fullest extent possible was the primary goal. Any governing body should make it’s main goal to ensure the rights of individual were maximized.
These two competing theories set the background for the Constitutional Convention, and many of the anti-Federalists main complaints were the lack of emphasis on individual rights. The Federalists – Hamilton, Jay, Madison and others – were focused on constructing a union and preserving that union against attack from undermining factions.
The Federalist Papers represent the arguments for creating that union while preserving the rights of the individual. It doesn’t discuss the necessarily HOW the Constitution would operate once in place. Hamilton was of the opinion that the states would encroach too much on federal power as opposed to a large, out of control federal system ruling over the individual states. Hamilton was in favor of a bill of rights.
James Madison Answers Hamilton in Federalist 10
While advocating for a strong central government, Madison correctly identified that factions will always exist, and contrary to what Hamilton thought, taking steps to prevent their formation would foment more malcontent and realize the Founding Fathers’ worst fears.
Instead Madison thought that the effects of factions could be mitigated.
By a faction, I understand a number of citizens, whether amounting to a majority or minority of the whole, who are united and actuated by some common impulse of passion, or of interest, adverse to the rights of other citizens, or to the permanent and aggregate interests of the community.
It could never be more truly said, than of the first remedy, that it is worse than the disease. Liberty is to faction what air is to fire, an aliment without which it instantly expires.
Madison states that it is impossible to “give” everyone the same opinions. He also states that factions are in fact natural and that one the most common causes is the disparity of property.
Now here is the strength of his wisdom, beyond what Hamilton was a proponent of: you cannot rely on heroes to maintain stability. We have forgotten this lesson.
It is vain to say, that enlightened statesmen will be able to adjust these clashing interests and render them all subservient to the public good. Enlightened statesmen will not always be at the helm.
Madison states that majority rule and pure democracy only lead to chaos. His solution is that the larger the republic, the larger the number of factions, and competition will balance out their ability to achieve their own ends. In other words, self interest will need to be set aside to form coalitions. This process will slow a movement, and will give time to deliberations as the sides express their views.
The two great points of difference, between a democracy and a republic, are, first, the delegation of the government, in the latter, to a small number of citizens elected by the rest; secondly, the greater number of citizens, and the greater sphere of country, over which the latter may be extended.
Compare to France
France was a complete upheaval of ALL social order, and not a people asserting their right to living in accordance with Natural Law and continue traditions of liberty already available to British citizens.
Madame Defarge
The System Is Broken, Usher In Technocracy
Many credit Obama or even Hillary Clinton with the introduction of strong collectivist principles into our education system, marrying Marxist disguised as DEI and political correctness. While they were agents who accelerated a plan set in place long ago, the process of eliminating teaching the founding principles of our nation began in 1903.
And many icons of the early 20th century were responsible. Feeling armed with the ability to engineer manufacturing efficiency and various revolutionary modes of transportation, these men felt as though it was their duty to engineer society. Communism was but one tool, applied abroad. Most other tactics were home grown in the US by elites.
Digital Twins - If You Monitor You Can Control
What Is Recommended For You Will Not of Your Design