Home > Corruption: Falling away from or not returning to the first principle

Corruption: Falling away from or not returning to the first principle

by Open-Publishing - Tuesday 19 July 2005
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Democracy Books-Literature Governments USA

“I am a philanthropist by character,” wrote Washington to the Marquis de Lafayette, “and a citizen of the great republic humanity at large.” Washington to Lafayette, August 15th, 1786.

Principle - the basic truth on which all truths depend, in a republic is virtue. Returning to principles has always been the saving grace of republics, but what kind of republic are we talking about. As an American author who loves France for many reasons, I question why there is not much respect for our mutual ancestors.

Republics are as much about the duty and obligation of governments as it is the desire to go good manifesting in social progress. America’s preamble in the federal Constitution clearly expresses this ideal virtue - but something happened to America’s federal government in the 1790’s. In my book The Never Realized Republic: Political Economy and Republican Virtue I have with much painstaking research, demonstrated how and why it happened. Yet, have not all republics suffered the same fall from grace? What has changed in 2,000 years.

Returning to first principles is much safer than starting over. Unfortunately, America’s first principles of virtue, social progress and economic justice have been denied since the 1790’s becuase of Federalist influence. They never really got off the ground. This influence is the source of much negative influence on the international stage. I wish more than anything people would make distinctions between citizens of a country and the regime that promotes its private agenda. This is no less appropriate for America. What virtues does America promote? Do people believe Americans do not concern themselves with the truth about their governments behavior in foreign lands, covertly or overtly?

The Never Realized Republic demonstrates an exceptional explanation of what American colonists and ultimately, Americans were most familiar with - religion, classical education, European heritage, liberty and the duty and obligation of government. This book does not offer opinion as much as it explains the meaning of words and concepts that contributed to how America’s society organized itself into a governing body, its polity.

The books details with exceptional scholarship and historiography, why the founding fathers expected capitalism to be a harmonizing influence. Then with even greater details The Never Realized Republic demonstrates how the vision of social progress, for the Revolutionary generation was forever altered with the rise of Federalist aristocracy.

The conclusion brings to the forefront troubling questions about the role of America’s federal government and foreign diplomacy - or the lack of it. Quoting President Washington’s Farewell address at the end of the book I explain what was intended so very long ago: ‟The great role of conduct for us, in regard to foreign Nations, is, in extending our commercial relations, to have with them as little Political connection as possible, - So far as we have already formed
engagements , let them be fulfilled with perfect good faith, - Here let us stop.-.”

Fortunately though, it seems the saving grace would be to reinvigorate America’s educational system to provide an educational system that supports free thinking. Quoting Richard’s Greece, Rome, and the American Enlightenment, The Never Realized Republic conveys a great respect for the founder’s faith in free thinking. “Although the founders considered the classics an important source of enlightenment, they understood that the highest expression of classical virtue was independence of thought and action.” I also goe to the source of an original free thinker Socrates so well known and respected by the founders. “So we must not wrangle over a word, but abide by the proposition on which we have just agreed, that the rightly educated prove what we mean by good, and that no aspect of education is to be disparaged; it is the highest blessing bestowed on mankind, and it is the best of them on who it is most fully bestowed. When it takes a false turn which permits of correction, we should, one and all, devote the energy of a lifetime to its amendment.”

I think anyone who wants an unbiased view of American history, from colonization to the twenty-first century would benefit greatly by this book. I’d hope every college student could avail themselves of this work.

Please read more here - especially what makes American history nonfictional:

http://mysite.verizon.net/resq16ic/

Respectfully,

Peter J. O’Lalor

Forum posts

  • Addendum and apologies:

    The subtitile of the above article should read "Not being true to the first principle." I apologize as well for not more carefully editing my work.

    P.J. O’Lalor