I agree that the author's thesis ultimately fails; it was too broadly stated. However, I wouldn't write it off entirely as "bunk." That's because, as I noted in the comments, some notable "republican" thought both on the Continent, but more importantly in Great Britain was in favor of such sentiment and I think such policies were implemented in various cases.George Washington was the wealthiest president of the United States. A recent study of the question estimated his wealth at approximately $5B. Article II of the Constitution was written with him in mind, and in both 1789 and 1792, he won unanimous Electoral College victories.
On the other hand, James Madison wrote extensively of "agrarian laws" (that is, government redistribution of wealth), which he considered both harmful and immoral.
Thomas Jefferson's criticism of the French nobility was of a legally privileged class. There is no such class in today's United States.
In short, this story is bunk.
(Rep. Ocasio is a walking advertisement for Jefferson's insistence that prior to citizenship, Americans should be taught the history of republican regimes--so that they could avoid repeating the mistakes that had led prior ones to fail.)
James Harrington who was referenced in the original piece really did believe in Agrarian redistribution and he really was influential on America's founders. And Jefferson DID flirt with such sentiment as Harrington's. It probably was his friend Madison who convinced him that these ideas were unwise. Madison's vision prevailed at the time of the American founding.
But Harrington's vision perhaps prevailed in the modern era of Western Civilization. That is, when we focus, not just on America, but Western Europe and the other industrialized nations. The "modern world" as Eric Nelson puts it. That's one of his core theses and he pins such present day redistributionist policies on the Hebrew Bible.
Another commenter at Dr. Gutzman's site noted:
Agrarian Laws and similar legislation have created little but trouble since Roman times, but every government since has, in one way or another, engaged in such legislation. It's simply too easy and appealing to engage in what amounts to massive payoffs to influential factions.
6 comments:
Jefferson and even Madison lost many battles. That either held position x is meaningless when speaking of "The Founders."
It's meaningful in that some of the most important founders, and intellectual architects of the American constitutional and political system, held that position, thus, making it not a foreign or easily dismissed position.
jimmiraybob said...
It's meaningful in that some of the most important founders, and intellectual architects of the American constitutional and political system, held that position, thus, making it not a foreign or easily dismissed position.
So you say. But "the most important Founders" is a false premise. The Founding was a joint effort, and as a matter of fact, Jefferson was in France when the Constitution was framed.
And Madison lost on many issues.
You have not been listening.
I said SOME of the most important founders which some people will notice implies a part of the whole. And by important I mean those that contributed a great deal of the intellectual development and authorship of the new national identity.
Also too, I think that this article at Sojourners about AOCs Biblical values is within the purview of the post:
https://sojo.net/articles/biblical-values-ocasio-cortezs-democratic-socialism
you're kidding right
"Give the king your justice, O God … May he judge your people with righteousness, and your poor with justice … May he defend the cause of the poor of the people, give deliverance to the needy, and crush the oppressor."
not exactly what we call a proof text LOL
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