I believe there have been three phases of revolution in the united States, and am offering up this thesis for your consideration. I submit that our American revolution has had three distinct parts to date, linked in cause and effect, separated only by time.
The first, and commonly accepted, was, of course, the separation of the thirteen original colonies from Great Britain. This portion was driven primarily by economic considerations, and was promoted as a cry for liberty and independence from the oppressions of the monarchy.
The second, I submit, began almost fifty years later, coincident with the deaths of Adams and Jefferson, and culminated in the War for Southern Independence and the hideous retribution immediately thereafter. (This was not a “civil war”, by definition.) The net result of this phase was the solidification of the federal ‘authority’ that had been lurking in the wings since Hamilton, et al, advanced it originally. This phase was marked by the beginning of the decline of the several states as power centers.
The third phase, introduced after a period of gradual preparation, is now called the “Progressive Era”, but was in reality, a thinly disguised genesis for the era of American empire. I believe this phase is now nearly complete; the most obvious result is the complete subordination of the American people to the rule by the federal state.
I leave it to you to speculate with me as to the possibility of a fourth phase, and to its characteristics. Is there more to come, or are we about to ‘re-boot’, and begin the cycle anew?
No person, nor any number of persons, can have any legitimate authority to control the lives and property of others without their expressed, immediate and preferably written permission. This makes any level, kind or function of non-voluntary government completely without any legitimate power or purpose. When people finally begin to understand this, and throw off the “most dangerous superstition” to assume self ownership, then will begin the true and possibly final revolution.
Thank you for your comment, Mama Liberty! I follow your blog with great interest!
I postulate that one of the primary achieved goals of Phase III (the “Progressive Era”) was to firmly establish in the minds of her citizens of “Government” as a benevolent paternal entity — an “individual, if you will — once and for all divorcing citizens of the notion that the individuals sent to Washington were servants of the public will. The control mechanism ratified thereby cemented the ability of the few to control the many in every detail of their lives. I hope to see that mindset change in my lifetime, but frankly despair of such an imminent outcome.
What IS “the public will?” The “public” consists of millions of indivdiduals who have a vast variety of different wills and convictions. The “servants” can only impliment one set at a time, and have no possible way to understand the will of everyone anyway, no matter their motives or the mechanism of their actions.
So, we find that the role of these people as “servants” is impossible, regardless of the system, the “controls” or the method used to approximate understanding of the “will of the public.”
And all that is completely opposite to what is right and honest anyway, regardless of motive, because no person or group of persons has any legitimate authority to appoint “servants” for other people, much less to have any control over the lives and property – via “servants” or direct voting – of anyone without their consent.
I do not consent. And a great many others would not consent in any way, shape or form if they had not been fed (and absorbed) the lie of government “authority” as legitimate all their lives.
Oh, and that was not meant as any refutation of your response, Taylor… just more rant from me. It’s a sore subject right now. sigh I just got done editing a massive “declaration of independence” that used government “authority” as a given, in direct contradiction to the whole supposed purpose of the declaration! The author cited the “constitution” and BOR relentlessly as the basis for the petition!
The bottom line was the old, “Please don’t hit us anymore (unless we deserve it). May we have some more gruel, Master?”