America and Freedom

The primary purpose of this discussion is to give a perspective to Americans and interested outsiders on America—its nature, its place in Western civilization and, if possible, its relationship to the rest of the world.
To make a long story short, I believe that what I have found after a lot of research is this:
1. The basic goal of Western Civilization is: To be free.
2. America is the country that is the current standard-bearer for that goal.

In recent years some prominent politicians were fond of saying that America is the greatest civilization in the history of the world. In other circles there have been those who have expressed an opposite view.
It is undeniably true that America is important, if only because of its power. Whether it has had a good or bad effect on the world; whether it has lived up to its own expectations—these are some of the items open to debate. Almost anything can be proven through the use of selective evidence, and in any single volume the evidence cited must perforce be selective. But we will try to be fair.

And how are we to estimate America’s future? That is one of the great questions. Does our American house rest on solid foundations that will allow it to stand for a long time? Or are we destined to be a relative flash in the historical pan—a bright but brief streaking star?
I won’t pretend to be an impartial observer. I don’t know exactly why, but there has always been something in my heart that finds the American Revolution and everything that’s wrapped up in it to be hair-raisingly inspiring. And for that reason I want to know: is there any good reason for me to feel that way? Am I on solid ground or quicksand? Can my rah-rah spirit stand the cold light of inquiry?

One of the debates that has coursed through the last three millennia of Western Civilization concerns the value of democracy: whether any democracy can last for long, and whether there is another form of government that is inherently better or more stable. This debate is pretty much settled in the minds of most Americans today. Democracy is an article of faith. We know that it is the best possible form of government, and we are amazed that that fact is not obvious to everyone in the world. It is only a matter of time, we believe, before all the world is governed democratically. We are eager to teach them. We trust that they are eager to learn.
Unfortunately we are often disappointed by a lack of progress by our pupils, and, moreover, by a certain resistance, which we find mysterious. Who would not want to be free? Who would not want to have the right to choose their own rulers?
Democracy found fertile ground in much of the West once our famous Shot Heard Round the World was fired. But even in the West it took a long time before democracy was accepted all over as the way things should be. Indeed, it took till 1945 for all of Western Europe to have it, and until the last years of the twentieth century for it to finally be allowed in Eastern Europe. Two centuries is a long time to convert one’s own civilization. How much longer should we expect it to take to convert the non-Western world?
According to Plato, democracy is just one step removed from tyranny. Plato probably had ample opportunity to observe the workings of that progression (or regression) in the tumult of the politics of Greek city-states. It can be theorized that the Roman Republic went that route, with the help of Julius Caesar. Americans, in turn, have long feared the arrival of a new Caesar. Could it happen here? It is a question that can make us nervous. Apparently the saying that the price of freedom is constant vigilance applies not only to external threats but also to threats from ourselves.
Throughout history democracy has often been a fragile thing. Is it still fragile, despite our strength and wealth? Or is it strong? And if it is strong, will it stay that way? If we determine that it is something worth preserving, how shall we preserve it?

Anyone observing the workings American democracy and studying its history over the last two centuries is bound to be appalled by some of the things he finds. Elections, elected officials, influence and nearly everything else imaginable has been bought and sold far too often. Today, though we hope we have achieved the ability to hold honest elections, partisan politics seem worse than ever. Real leaders and statesmen are in short supply, and it often seems that the political process leaves us with only mediocre choices. Influence is still bought and sold through lobbying and campaign contributions, and sometimes overtly through bribes. And whether what the government does makes sense is a matter of opinion.
Some years ago there was a TV show that had in its introduction the following quote (or words to this effect): “Democracy is a very bad method of government, but so far, no one has been able to find a better one.”
Actually there are quite a few people in other parts of the world who believe there are better ways to govern. Plato and many other thinkers over the centuries have argued that the best government is a responsible monarchy.
However, as somebody’s Russian grandmother once said: “Best government: good Czar. Worst government: bad Czar. More bad Czars than good Czars. So: no Czars.” That pretty much sums up the American argument.
So, we are dedicated to purifying, or at least improving, our sometimes odious form of government. But before we get too depressed about its current state, we should consider a few positive things.
We have come to a place where at least a majority of citizens feel reasonably secure from arbitrary incursions by the government. I.e., they have rights. This is no small thing. Rights have been trampled by governments for ages. Strong governments have always in the past meant subjugated citizens. We have achieved a situation in which individual citizens are granted a sphere of private activity that is usually safe from arbitrary government incursion. Individuals are important in the eyes of the law. In the past, citizens’ rights to be free in their persons and properties could only be guaranteed by reducing government down to such weakness that it could not perform basic functions such as a common defense against an enemy.
The rule of law is recognized as paramount in civil dealings. Though justice is an elusive thing, we have a whole system of procedures designed to find it, or to find at least a modicum of fairness--or at least to avoid gross injustice as much as humanly possible.
The will of a majority cannot (or is not supposed to anyway) take away the rights of a minority.
And most of all, we are trying. We have ideals out there in front of us, and we hope we are making progress towards them.