The history of numerous nations
of the world tells us much about the government of those nations. The forefathers
of the United States of America studied many of these nations in order to learn
from their successes as well as their mistakes. The founders discovered that
great nations are built upon virtuous standards, and they proceeded to write
true and correct principles into the Constitution of the new nation. Since
these principles are too numerous for all to be included, this essay will
discuss only three of them: mission to be a light, democratic and republican
values, and economic freedom.
The first principle is the belief of
the early colonists that the United States had a mission to be a light to the
world. This mission was prophesied in scripture and founded in the hearts of
the Puritans. The idea of a mission has motivated the United States in all eras
of the nation – from the desire to expand to the west and the determination to
stop oppression in both World Wars to the destruction of terrorism and confrontation
of North Korea. However, the God-given purpose for the United States
Constitution is to maintain and protect the rights of all people. Most nations
still look to America for leadership in spite of mistakes (slavery and Great
Depression) and bad judgement (Vietnam and Iraq wars). The world as a whole
becomes a healthier place when the United States fulfills its mission to be a
light to the world. America can accomplish this mission better by maintaining a
republic founded on virtuous principles.
The second principle is that the
forefathers created a republic that contains republican and democratic values.
This principle refers to a type of government rather than to any political
party. Knowing that they did not want a monarchy, the founders decided that
their choice was between a republic and a democracy. A republic is a nation
where the people have the power to elect representatives to create the laws and
the laws reflect the will of the people, promote equality among them, and
protect their common welfare. A democracy is a nation where the people
themselves determine the laws. After comparing the principles of both types of
governments, the forefathers chose to create a republic with a few democratic
principles. Thus, the government of the United States is often called a democratic republic, and its principles
bless Americans and people all over the world.
The third principle is economic
freedom. This freedom means the opportunity to choose one’s own work
(profession or occupation), to control the results of one’s work (earnings,
property, or life style), and to use one’s property as one chooses. This
principle is closely connected with the principle of private ownership of
property. The two principles together create motivation to work and/or to
create. The freedom to own property is a large part of the opportunity to the
control of the fruits of one’s labor, and this freedom helps to bring more
economic freedom to the people. Economic freedom for individuals leads to
stronger, healthier, and more prosperous nations because individuals become
more self-reliant and less dependent on the government to provide daily needs.
One can plainly see that the
foundational principles of any nation determine whether the government of that
country can be considered as a positive or a negative force in the lives of its
citizens. When founded upon virtuous principles that work together for the good
of the people, any nation can have an honorable government and freedom for its
people. The United States was founded upon true and correct principles and has
become a country that attracts immigrants from all over the world. America has
been a light to the world for more than two hundred years and will continue to
do so for as long as it remains virtuous.
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