I am reminded of Alexander Hamilton's argument in support of tariffs against imports to the United States. Tariffs are necessary until domestic producers can compete effectively with foreign producers. Then, the tariffs are no longer necessary and can be eliminated. Of course, those who benefitted and still benefit by protection fight to retain the tariffs, using some of the above-average profits to pay lobbyists to defend their interests in the halls of government. In our government today, there are all sorts of caucuses of people who share something fundamental in common -- race, ethnicity, religion, ideology, sexual and gender identity, tax bracket, and so on. As Arthur Schlesinger, Jr. warned back in the early 1990s, the pluralism that evolved as a strength in the United States was giving way to multiculturalism. Democracy has proven very difficult to sustain when the population loses the common values and cultural norms that are most important to a constitution consisting of "We, the People..."
"Democracy" (and ours, even in the beginning, was certainly a limited one ... a limited democratic republic) becomes more and more impractical with larger population. For my part, I believe we lost the republic long ago -- we can quibble on exactly when. I'm just hoping to wake up a few and to make a contribution or two while still alive. Thanks for the comment, Ed.
I am reminded of Alexander Hamilton's argument in support of tariffs against imports to the United States. Tariffs are necessary until domestic producers can compete effectively with foreign producers. Then, the tariffs are no longer necessary and can be eliminated. Of course, those who benefitted and still benefit by protection fight to retain the tariffs, using some of the above-average profits to pay lobbyists to defend their interests in the halls of government. In our government today, there are all sorts of caucuses of people who share something fundamental in common -- race, ethnicity, religion, ideology, sexual and gender identity, tax bracket, and so on. As Arthur Schlesinger, Jr. warned back in the early 1990s, the pluralism that evolved as a strength in the United States was giving way to multiculturalism. Democracy has proven very difficult to sustain when the population loses the common values and cultural norms that are most important to a constitution consisting of "We, the People..."
Ed Dodson
"Democracy" (and ours, even in the beginning, was certainly a limited one ... a limited democratic republic) becomes more and more impractical with larger population. For my part, I believe we lost the republic long ago -- we can quibble on exactly when. I'm just hoping to wake up a few and to make a contribution or two while still alive. Thanks for the comment, Ed.