States Rights – a Feudal System
Bear with me – sometimes the answers to current problems have historical roots – and the answers to complex problems have already been worked out. Over time people have tried varieties of government and economic systems. Our Founding Fathers studied the history of government and molded the bold liberal experiment that we now call the United States of American. The idea of the U. S. is this – give people autonomy except when that autonomy affects the whole, then the whole will take precedence. The autonomy of faith is an example.
The most evident need for intercession is in commerce, crime, and military protection. The idea was introduced to the Anglo-Saxon English folks in 1066 C.E.
Until 1066 the English had a system of government with power distributed over fiefdoms around the kingdom. The Lords of the fiefs operated independent of the centralized government. William the Conqueror, that Norman rascal, defeated England at the battle of Hastings in 1066 C.E. He brought strong centralized government to England.
England prospered with the introduction of central rule. Trade routes opened, communications expanded, internal battles between the Manor States was alleviated – peace and prosperity came with centralized government, insuring Domestic Tranquility. Freedom of thought led to the Magna Carta in 1215 C.E. – the first document of individual rights over government rights.
The Lords of the Manors were reigned in. They could no longer indiscriminately punish the peasant class. The rights of peasants as human entities were recognized. Every human was granted individual dignity – and the central government protected that dignity from errant local politicians.
One might easily say that the local governments came under the regulation of a centralized government. Under centralized government trade prospered, justice became consistent and predictable – if not always just. When trade prospered – the people prospered. These are historical facts, not subjective judgments of liberals or conservatives.
But these issues are debated today on the Presidential campaign trail.
So how does this lesson apply to the problems facing us today. How about immigration? What about abortion? What about the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). What about Global Warming?
And what about corporations – the last bastion of feudal rule?
Comment by JC on 4 February 2008:
“…the battle of Hastings in 1066 C.E.”
“…the Magna Carta in 1215 C.E.”
Here we go again, the subtle rewriting of history/culture.
I am immediately suspicious of people who have jumped on the politically correct bandwagon. Their credibility and motives are immediately suspect.
The Battle of Hastings occurred in 1066 A.D. and the Magna Carta in 1215 A.D. Do not try to subvert our language and culture by twisting terminology and injecting C.E.