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Ray Haynes

The Origins of Government

In my last post on the subject of gay marriage, David Salaverry leveled a criticism of my discussion, particularly my position on life and liberty, regarding the origins of government. In response to my statement on the purpose of government, where I state:

“Government is created to protect the weaker members of society from the involuntary intrusions on their personal security or property interests by the more powerful.”

Salaverry responds:

“We don’t know who created government. Somewhere in the mists of history governments began, evolved and now exist in complex forms that are difficult to penetrate.”

I realized I had been unclear when I made my statement. My comments on liberty began with certain assumptions to be sure, and I did not explain all of those assumptions in each of my writings, because I wanted the writing to be a blog, not a treatise, but Mr. Salaverry’s comments cannot go unanswered, because understanding my assumption is critical to understanding the positions I state on liberty, property, life and marriage.

It is true that somewhere in the mists of history governments began, and there is little history that explains how they arose (the Bible contains a very good explanation of how the kings came about in early Israel, and God’s warnings about the dangers of a king), and it is also true that, until very recently in history, government was an enemy of the people, serving the interests of the kings, rulers, or their friends, and trampling the God-given rights of the people.

However, the American experiment in self government, and its creation, was not created in the mists of history, and its purpose is not shrouded in mysteries “difficult to penetrate.” In fact, its history and origins were clearly explained by those who participated in the creation of our current government.

When the Declaration of Independence was adopted, the Continental Congress, in words mostly written by Thomas Jefferson, set out the clear purpose of what would become the American government. Those words, which begin with “We hold these truths to be self evident…” state that everyone is created equal, and that each person has a God-given right to life, liberty, and to pursue their economic well-being in the fashion they see fit. To follow up on those clearly stated rights, the Declaration continues with the words “And to secure these rights…” governments are created, and those governments obtain their “just powers” from the consent of the governed.

So, when I made my statement, it was derived from this very clear statement in the Declaration. There is no mist or fog around these words. The Founding Fathers were very aware of government and its abuses. In the Federalist No. 10 (a writing that is absolutely essential to understanding our Constitution and its structure), Madison says, as a criticism of “democracy” that “measures are too often decided, not according to rules of justice and the rights of the minor party, but by the superior force of an interested and overbearing majority…” Our government was established the way it was established to minimize those abuses.

Due respect to the life, liberty and property of each individual requires a government that protects those rights, and does nothing more. That government cannot, consistent with its mission, allow anyone to take the life of the small defenseless child, or use its power to intrude upon the established religious beliefs of its citizens. It cannot, and should not, tax the property of its citizens beyond that necessary to accomplish the goals of protecting the life, liberty, and property of its citizens, nor interfere with the pursuit of each individual’s economic well-being, When a government does these things, the Declaration says, it is the right and duty of the citizens to “alter or abolish” that government.

I was talking about the American experiment in self government when I wrote the articles on liberty, and I assumed that the truths set out in the Declaration were as self evident as the Founders believed them to be. Though I have ended the series, I believed this one last point had to be made, because the assumptions and statement of the Declaration were the underpinning of the entire discussion. Any discussion on liberty has to begin with the words of Jefferson, “We hold these truths to be self evident…” When Republicans remember, and are true to, Jefferson’s goal of a Republic, limited in its scope and power, and committed to its core mission, Republicans will create and establish a long term governing majority.