breadth of reading and depth of knowledge concerning the essential elements of sound nation building.
Fundamental Principles
The relative uniformity of fundamental thought shared by these men included strong and unusually well-defined convictions concerning religious principles, political precepts, economic fundamentals, and long-range social goals. On particulars, of course, they quarreled, but when discussing fundamental precepts and ultimate objectives they seemed practically unanimous.
They even had strong criticism of one another as individual personalities, yet admired each other as laborers in the common cause. John Adams, for example, felt a strong personality conflict between himself and Benjamin Franklin and even Thomas Jefferson. Yet Adams' writings are steeped in accolades for both of them, and their writings carried the same for him. One of George Washington's most vehement critics was Dr. Benjamin Rush, and yet that Pennsylvania physician boldly supported everything for which Washington worked and fought.
We will now proceed to carefully examine the 28 major principles on which the American Founders established the first free people in modern times. These are great ideas which provided the intellectual, political, and economic climate for the 5,000-year leap.
Part II
The Founder's Basic Principles
First Principle: The only reliable basis for sound government and just human relations is Natural Law.
Second Principle: A free people cannot survive under a republican constitution unless they remain virtuous and morally strong.
Third Principle: The most promising method of securing a virtuous and morally stable people is to elect virtuous leaders.
Fourth Principle: Without religion the government of a free people cannot be maintained.
Fifth Principle: All things were created by God, therefore upon Him all mankind are equally dependent, and to Him they are equally responsible.
Sixth Principle: All men are created equal.
Seventh Principle: The proper role of government is to protect equal rights, not provide equal things.
Eighth Principle: Men are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights.
Ninth Principle: To protect man's rights, God has revealed certain principles of divine law.
Tenth Principle: The God-given right to govern is vested in the sovereign authority of the whole people.
Eleventh Principle: The majority of the people may alter or abolish a government which has become tyrannical.
Twelfth Principle: The United States of America shall be a republic.
Thirteenth Principle: A constitution should be structured to permanently protect the people from the human frailties of their rulers.
Fourteenth Principle: Life and liberty are secure only so long as the right to property is secure.
Fifteenth Principle: The highest level of prosperity occurs when there is a free-market economy and a minimum of government regulations.
Sixteenth Principle: The government should be separated into three branches -- legislative, executive, and judicial.
Seventeenth Principle: A system of checks and balances should be adopted to prevent the abuse of power.
Eighteenth Principle: The unalienable rights of the people are most likely to be preserved if the principles of government are set forth in a written constitution.
Nineteenth Principle: Only limited and carefully defined powers should be delegated to government, all others being retained in the people.
Twentieth Principle: Efficiency and dispatch require government to operate according to the will of the majority, but constitutional provisions must be made to protect the rights of the minority.
Twenty-First Principle: Strong local self-government is the keystone to preserving human freedom.
Twenty-Second Principle: A free people should be governed by law and not by the whims of men.
Twenty-Third Principle: A free society cannot survive as a republic without a broad program of general education.
Fundamental Principles
The relative uniformity of fundamental thought shared by these men included strong and unusually well-defined convictions concerning religious principles, political precepts, economic fundamentals, and long-range social goals. On particulars, of course, they quarreled, but when discussing fundamental precepts and ultimate objectives they seemed practically unanimous.
They even had strong criticism of one another as individual personalities, yet admired each other as laborers in the common cause. John Adams, for example, felt a strong personality conflict between himself and Benjamin Franklin and even Thomas Jefferson. Yet Adams' writings are steeped in accolades for both of them, and their writings carried the same for him. One of George Washington's most vehement critics was Dr. Benjamin Rush, and yet that Pennsylvania physician boldly supported everything for which Washington worked and fought.
We will now proceed to carefully examine the 28 major principles on which the American Founders established the first free people in modern times. These are great ideas which provided the intellectual, political, and economic climate for the 5,000-year leap.
Part II
The Founder's Basic Principles
First Principle: The only reliable basis for sound government and just human relations is Natural Law.
Second Principle: A free people cannot survive under a republican constitution unless they remain virtuous and morally strong.
Third Principle: The most promising method of securing a virtuous and morally stable people is to elect virtuous leaders.
Fourth Principle: Without religion the government of a free people cannot be maintained.
Fifth Principle: All things were created by God, therefore upon Him all mankind are equally dependent, and to Him they are equally responsible.
Sixth Principle: All men are created equal.
Seventh Principle: The proper role of government is to protect equal rights, not provide equal things.
Eighth Principle: Men are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights.
Ninth Principle: To protect man's rights, God has revealed certain principles of divine law.
Tenth Principle: The God-given right to govern is vested in the sovereign authority of the whole people.
Eleventh Principle: The majority of the people may alter or abolish a government which has become tyrannical.
Twelfth Principle: The United States of America shall be a republic.
Thirteenth Principle: A constitution should be structured to permanently protect the people from the human frailties of their rulers.
Fourteenth Principle: Life and liberty are secure only so long as the right to property is secure.
Fifteenth Principle: The highest level of prosperity occurs when there is a free-market economy and a minimum of government regulations.
Sixteenth Principle: The government should be separated into three branches -- legislative, executive, and judicial.
Seventeenth Principle: A system of checks and balances should be adopted to prevent the abuse of power.
Eighteenth Principle: The unalienable rights of the people are most likely to be preserved if the principles of government are set forth in a written constitution.
Nineteenth Principle: Only limited and carefully defined powers should be delegated to government, all others being retained in the people.
Twentieth Principle: Efficiency and dispatch require government to operate according to the will of the majority, but constitutional provisions must be made to protect the rights of the minority.
Twenty-First Principle: Strong local self-government is the keystone to preserving human freedom.
Twenty-Second Principle: A free people should be governed by law and not by the whims of men.
Twenty-Third Principle: A free society cannot survive as a republic without a broad program of general education.
Similar Books
Eversong (Midnight Playground)
Eden Bradley
The Ambitious Card (An Eli Marks Mystery)
John Gaspard
Tanequil
Terry Brooks
John's Story
Tim Lahaye, Jerry B. Jenkins
Memory Seed
Stephen Palmer
Durango
Gary Hart
Tin Lily
Joann Swanson
Intimate
Jason Luke
With Strings Attached
Kelly Jamieson