Myth.
Many think Herbert Hoover was an advocate for the free market and let it get out of hand which caused the great depression, which was then cleaned up by Roosevelt with his New Deal act. This is not so. Roosevelt's New Deal act was very much a continuation of policies and laws that Hoover was putting into play years before the great crash.
During the years that followed the crash, the idea that business men were causing all the economic down turn caused laws to be passed which essentially punished the successful. It created the proverbial "robin hood" out of the govt, but without much good to the people.
Lawrence Reed notes in his essay "Myths of the Great Depression" that "Two UCLA economists—Harold L. Cole and Lee E. Ohanian—observed that the policies of President Franklin Roosevelt extended the Great Depression by seven long years. 'The economy was poised for a beautiful recovery,' the authors show, 'but that recovery was stalled by these misguided policies.”
Monday, November 28, 2011
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Charter City Rules
If I were to start a Charter City as explained by Paul Romer in his 2007 Ted Talk, the key institutions, or "rules of the game" as he calls it, that I would employ to ensure economic prosperity would be the right of property be maintained, as well as the protection of life, that the rule of law be followed, and last but not the least, freedom of religion.
When the pilgrims settled the very first colonies, they tried living a "christian communism." The governor of one such colony, William Bradford said, "[it] was found to breed much confusion and discontent and retard much employment that would have been to their benefit and comfort… And for men’s wives to be commanded to do service for other men, as dressing their meat, washing their clothes, etc., they deemed it a kind of slavery, neither could many husbands well brook it.” The colony later adopted a different set of rule in which each family was essentially put in charge of growing as much corn for their respective families as they could. The result was more abundance than ever before and never a recession to the like of which they had those first few years under the "common ownership" communistic period. The right of property is a right ordained by God and is also the very driving power for economic growth in a community. When God commanded we not steal from each other, the implication is that there is property that belongs to an individual that must be respected. When we can claim ownership of something, we take pride in it, we gain strength, comfort, and confidence from it and that we can live self sufficiently. Naturally, we as a social unit work together to find win win scenarios where we both come away with more personal property, i.e.. goods, for services.
Protection of life. If it is extremely difficult in a society whose laws keep me safe from theft and murder, to start a successful business, I would say it would be nearly impossible if I had to fight for my life every step of the way as well. Thus protection of life is also a necessity for my charter city.
There must be precedent for the rule of law. A rule of a govt. that does not wield the power so much as it does protect and serve the power, i.e. the laws established in the land. The govt. is not above the law, but must protect the law. The law is the governor, the law is king. The rule of the Law, not the Crown. A political science professor Li Shuguang explained the difference between rule OF law, and rule BY law as such: "The difference....is that, under the rule OF law, the law is preeminent and can serve as a check against the abuse of power. Under rule BY law, the law is a mere tool for a government, that suppresses in a legalistic fashion."[27](Tamanaha, Brian. On the Rule of Law, page 3 (Cambridge University Press, 2004).) Maintaining a govt. based on the rule of law Helps police the growth of corruption. It helps with checks and balances and provides that laws are not changed quickly so as to provide security to it's people it governs and not chaos.
Finally, the freedom to practice religion without govt. involvement or discrimination as to religious beliefs. Edmund Burke said, “Religion, always a principle of energy, in this new people is no way worn out or impaired; and their mode of professing it is also one main cause of this free spirit." "This spirit of liberty… was the source was their religion." (Ryan Johnson) Religion is also a great motivator, just as self interest is, or may I put it, interest for one's family. When motivators are grounded in moral objectives, there is economic growth all around. When allowances for moral objectives are made, or rather incubators for cultivation of these objectives are employed, the same is achieved. Greed is not moral, and as such does not flourish as well.
When the pilgrims settled the very first colonies, they tried living a "christian communism." The governor of one such colony, William Bradford said, "[it] was found to breed much confusion and discontent and retard much employment that would have been to their benefit and comfort… And for men’s wives to be commanded to do service for other men, as dressing their meat, washing their clothes, etc., they deemed it a kind of slavery, neither could many husbands well brook it.” The colony later adopted a different set of rule in which each family was essentially put in charge of growing as much corn for their respective families as they could. The result was more abundance than ever before and never a recession to the like of which they had those first few years under the "common ownership" communistic period. The right of property is a right ordained by God and is also the very driving power for economic growth in a community. When God commanded we not steal from each other, the implication is that there is property that belongs to an individual that must be respected. When we can claim ownership of something, we take pride in it, we gain strength, comfort, and confidence from it and that we can live self sufficiently. Naturally, we as a social unit work together to find win win scenarios where we both come away with more personal property, i.e.. goods, for services.
Protection of life. If it is extremely difficult in a society whose laws keep me safe from theft and murder, to start a successful business, I would say it would be nearly impossible if I had to fight for my life every step of the way as well. Thus protection of life is also a necessity for my charter city.
There must be precedent for the rule of law. A rule of a govt. that does not wield the power so much as it does protect and serve the power, i.e. the laws established in the land. The govt. is not above the law, but must protect the law. The law is the governor, the law is king. The rule of the Law, not the Crown. A political science professor Li Shuguang explained the difference between rule OF law, and rule BY law as such: "The difference....is that, under the rule OF law, the law is preeminent and can serve as a check against the abuse of power. Under rule BY law, the law is a mere tool for a government, that suppresses in a legalistic fashion."[27](Tamanaha, Brian. On the Rule of Law, page 3 (Cambridge University Press, 2004).) Maintaining a govt. based on the rule of law Helps police the growth of corruption. It helps with checks and balances and provides that laws are not changed quickly so as to provide security to it's people it governs and not chaos.
Finally, the freedom to practice religion without govt. involvement or discrimination as to religious beliefs. Edmund Burke said, “Religion, always a principle of energy, in this new people is no way worn out or impaired; and their mode of professing it is also one main cause of this free spirit." "This spirit of liberty… was the source was their religion." (Ryan Johnson) Religion is also a great motivator, just as self interest is, or may I put it, interest for one's family. When motivators are grounded in moral objectives, there is economic growth all around. When allowances for moral objectives are made, or rather incubators for cultivation of these objectives are employed, the same is achieved. Greed is not moral, and as such does not flourish as well.
Friday, October 14, 2011
James Madison said this: "But what is government itself, but the greatest of all reflections on human nature? If men were angels, no government would be necessary." The peculiar thing about government is that, in providing a better way of life for the people by unifiying them under a government system, it also creates an opportunity for men to corrupt themselves with power.
Madison proposes several thing in his Federalist papers. He states, "A dependence on the people is, no doubt, the primary control on the government..." Primary control is given to the people in a democracy, however, "experience has taught mankind the necessity of auxiliary precautions." This is because men have the ability to take power and trample over the rights of each other when soley left to popular choice, thus the need for a second group to have power in order that the two bodies can balance each other. Primary control is where most of the power lies, but auxiliary precautions are precautionary measures to ensure that the voice of the people (the primary control) does not run rampant with their power. Auxiliary precautions are seen in the way in which our government is instructed to set up laws. There is a process for passing a law, this process makes it very hard to create change, which allows small parties time and ability to assert that their rights are maintained and not trampled on by large factions that rise in power.
Madison proposes several thing in his Federalist papers. He states, "A dependence on the people is, no doubt, the primary control on the government..." Primary control is given to the people in a democracy, however, "experience has taught mankind the necessity of auxiliary precautions." This is because men have the ability to take power and trample over the rights of each other when soley left to popular choice, thus the need for a second group to have power in order that the two bodies can balance each other. Primary control is where most of the power lies, but auxiliary precautions are precautionary measures to ensure that the voice of the people (the primary control) does not run rampant with their power. Auxiliary precautions are seen in the way in which our government is instructed to set up laws. There is a process for passing a law, this process makes it very hard to create change, which allows small parties time and ability to assert that their rights are maintained and not trampled on by large factions that rise in power.
Friday, October 7, 2011
The US Constitution Was Divinely Inspired
President Kimball, in his talk on the constitution stated that "Charles Pinckney, a very active participant and author of the Pinckney Plan during the Convention, said: “When the great work was done and published, I was struck with amazement. Nothing less than the superintending Hand of Providence, that so miraculously carried us through the war … could have brought it about so complete, upon the whole” (Essays on the Constitution, p. 412).
He also quoted Alexander Hamilton. who said, “For my own part, I sincerely esteem it a system, which without the finger of God, never could have been suggested and agreed upon by such a diversity of interest” (Essays on the Constitution of the United States, ed. Paul L. Ford, 1892, pp. 251–52).
And to quote another member of the convention, President Kimball spoke of James Madison who said: “It is impossible for the man of pious reflection not to perceive in it a finger of that Almighty hand which has been so frequently and signally extended to our relief in the critical stages of the revolution” (The Federalist, no. 37, ed. Henry Cabot Lodge, New York: G. P. Putnam’s Sons, 1983, p. 222).
Though theses men and the men who were involved with the creation of the US Constitution, all believed there was more than just man's brain hard at work to create the great constitution of our country. Most even believed that because they were using their wise minds which they had cultivated for themselves from many years of study and meditation, that they were indeed helping to aid in showing forth God's hand in the workings of man. Scripture accounts from the Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ also refer to this land and how it has been set aside to be a country of liberty and freedom.
An ancient prophet of america, Lehi. was accredited to saying “It is wisdom that this land should be kept as yet from the knowledge of other nations, for behold, many nations would overrun the land, that there would be no place for an inheritance” (2 Ne. 1:8). And then many hundred years after Lehi, when Jesus himself appeared to the ancient people of the Americas after his resurrection, He said “For it is wisdom in the Father that they should be established in this land, and be set up as a free people by the power of the Father, that these things might come forth” (3 Ne. 21:4) speaking of this land and the liberty that would be fought for.
The constitution was divinely inspired to be a set of guidelines for future inhabitants of this land to live by so that no tyrannical ruler could usurp authority over the free people of this land.
He also quoted Alexander Hamilton. who said, “For my own part, I sincerely esteem it a system, which without the finger of God, never could have been suggested and agreed upon by such a diversity of interest” (Essays on the Constitution of the United States, ed. Paul L. Ford, 1892, pp. 251–52).
And to quote another member of the convention, President Kimball spoke of James Madison who said: “It is impossible for the man of pious reflection not to perceive in it a finger of that Almighty hand which has been so frequently and signally extended to our relief in the critical stages of the revolution” (The Federalist, no. 37, ed. Henry Cabot Lodge, New York: G. P. Putnam’s Sons, 1983, p. 222).
Though theses men and the men who were involved with the creation of the US Constitution, all believed there was more than just man's brain hard at work to create the great constitution of our country. Most even believed that because they were using their wise minds which they had cultivated for themselves from many years of study and meditation, that they were indeed helping to aid in showing forth God's hand in the workings of man. Scripture accounts from the Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ also refer to this land and how it has been set aside to be a country of liberty and freedom.
An ancient prophet of america, Lehi. was accredited to saying “It is wisdom that this land should be kept as yet from the knowledge of other nations, for behold, many nations would overrun the land, that there would be no place for an inheritance” (2 Ne. 1:8). And then many hundred years after Lehi, when Jesus himself appeared to the ancient people of the Americas after his resurrection, He said “For it is wisdom in the Father that they should be established in this land, and be set up as a free people by the power of the Father, that these things might come forth” (3 Ne. 21:4) speaking of this land and the liberty that would be fought for.
The constitution was divinely inspired to be a set of guidelines for future inhabitants of this land to live by so that no tyrannical ruler could usurp authority over the free people of this land.
Thursday, September 29, 2011
The Moral Foundation for the American Struggle for Independence
Largely beginning in 1763, American colonists were repeatedly burdened by unfair treatment from the hands of Great Britan. Some of these burdens, including taxation without representation, having armed troops stationed at all times among the colonists, and ignored petitions for reform in these and other areas of grievances.
In 1764 King George III passed the Sugar Act which increased taxes on imported goods to the colonies. This was done to aid in paying debts covering expences associated with the French and Indian war. However, the act was passed without any word acknowledged from the colonies. Essentially, the colonists were taxed without representation. This infringed on their rights as Englishmen as well as their rights as men.
The colonists believed as we do, that all men have certain rights given by God. Because those rights are given by God, no man, prince or pauper, may take those from another. They are unalienable rights.
So, once King George began down this road of tyranny and inflicting abuse after abuse, ignoring these basic rights of the colonists, it became time for the colonists to defend their rights at the expence of fighting against the government which was initiating abuse.
No man is justified in treating another man as a slave or property. As King George passed the tea act, with the purpose of creating more revenue for great britan, he was doing just that. After the colonists refused to buy tea from the East India Tea Co., and when the ships with tea refused to set sail until the tax was paid, the colonists were being treated as slaves. Their right to choose for themselves which goods to buy was being decided for them.
Most of the colonists rights were being treated this way. The colonists were told they could not find settlement any further west. Their right to property and to seek to build their own estate was struck.
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