The Roots of American Independence and Foundation

One hour ago

Society , Economy , Culture , Politics , Kodoom Official Blog

On this 250th anniversary of America, there is a lot of criticism about the way America is handling itself domestically and internationally. Many people in the world, including many Iranians, question America's militant foreign policy. Others blame gun violence in America on the second amendment to the US Constitution that allows citizens to own and carry guns. But many critics may not realize this second amendment is a guarantee of the first amendment to the US Constitution, which is individual freedom of speech and religion (ideology). No religious or government authority can easily violate these freedoms. Citizens can resort to guns if their "individual" choices are taken away from them. Even foreign leaders like Putin who oppose America's global hegemony, still admire the ingenuity and vibrancy of the American economic system.

Is the American system, a good or a bad one, for itself and the world?

Most people do not appreciate that the American politics, culture and economy are all interrelated and part of a larger ideological framework, initially shaped in Europe (during the enlightenment).

Discussing America is beyond the scope of this article but for those who are really interested, we urge them to read books like The Social Contract by Rousseau, and Common Sense and Rights of Man by Thomas Paine to understand the roots of America's formation and political, economical and cultural system.

Unfortunately, many Iranians, even academics and intellectuals, are not familiar with these works, which elucidate the foundation of America's Republican Democracy that has led to both good and bad aspects of the "system."

America is not a centralized and collective system. In centralized collective systems, like most countries in the world, the centralized political power more or less decides everyone's destiny. In post-Renaissance European enlightenment, the works of Rousseau and later revolutionaries like Thomas Paine, Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson, paved the way for the "American Idea," in which "individualism" prevails over "collectivism" and central states. It's individuals in America who "decide" their own path in life. Individuals can be manipulated but their choice over many aspects of their life is real and not easily violated by centralized, collective power (the state).

The Constitutional right of Americans to carry guns is to guarantee this freedom of "choice." When you offer people choices, you will get variety and individualism. As a result, no other place on the planet has more variety than America, at least in worldly products like social media, TV stations, movies, types of phones, cars, clothes, styles, homes, jobs, foods, shampoos, etc. People can even choose to homeschool their children and not vaccinate them if their conscience and research shows them the harms associated with public schools and vaccination. We have Muslim women working for police and public safety, and choose to keep their Hijab (Islamic head cover) and Indian Sikhs who work in the government but keep their turban on while on duty because of their religious choice. Few other nations have this much say over their lives against the governments.

This respect for "individual choice" is what makes America very different, at least in public arenas. The rest of America, when it comes to its people, is more or less the same as the world. We have greedy people, tyrants, self-delusional folks, violent folks, kind folks and spiritual folks in America, in all shapes and forms and national roots. And we have many unwise or damaged people who make bad choices, very bad choices, in life because they are allowed to.

Benjamin Franklin (one of America's founding fathers) once said: "Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety." By liberty, he was referring to personal choice and conscience.

Individual freedom, despite all its limitations, is REAL inside America regardless of the horrific gun violence and America's militant foreign policy and transgressions abroad.

Kodoom Editorial

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