Why can't we rule ourselves?

Modern men, I pose a question to you:

Why must the government of men come from external means? Are we so wild and barbarous that we must be maintained by force and coercion? Must we develop tyrannies to regulate ourselves?

This to me would seem a regression in the evolution of men's civilization, and not progress at all. In America specifically, and perhaps also in the rest of the western world, our societies have been creeping away from the concept of liberty for several generations now. Presently, this creeping has turned into a rather brisk run.

It seem counter-intuitive: We have developed our western nations to a point where our peoples are entirely homogenized, every areas is developed, all areas are within reach of the law, and the laws are fairly uniform. No region in America is wild, the force of law has attained 100% coverage over all the territory. There are no highwaymen, pirates or any roaming bands of Indians anymore. Why does Liberty fade away, and our government become even more tyrannical than it was in the primitive days of the republic?

Perhaps it is some irresistible force of human nature that causes men to form tyrannies out of republics, even as Plato described in his learned discourses. But how can this be? We are a nation of elected people, we have not as yet formed an autocracy or oligarchy of rulers! We more or less directly elect all of our principal leaders. How then, do we suffer ourselves to fall under such tyrannical social rule by a federal state?

Was it so long ago that our founders debated the concepts of federal authority over the various states? Jefferson knew al too well the threat a strong federal power would pose to the republic, and his fears HAVE manifested themselves. We presently live in the very system he warned us about, only we maintain it with our own acceptance.

Analyze the relationship the people have to the Federal government's power. Do you feel as though the people still rule it? Or does it rule the people, more or less by absolute power, and men fear it? I believe we have created and maintained a system that is hostile to the very existence of our OWN liberty. This is a rather self-defeating construct we have made.

Will anyone say that we have INCREASED our liberty as a result of our affluence and increase in industry? isn't it silly that we elect a government that rules us in a rather tyrannical fashion? Why would we chose to continue a system that forces us to submit our Liberty in greater and greater amounts?

Why do we elect men, and then fear them as authorities over us? It is nonsensical. Have the people become so distant from the thought of franchise and citizenship that they don't consider themselves to have any power? The absence of that thought means that the people function as little better than slaves.

If we have progressed so far, and have attained such a degree of social and economic stability, why then do we increase the powers of the state and the police? It does not seem to be a rational progression. Or at least, it does not seem to be DESIREABLE.

I think the point is in understanding the whole purpose of civilization. We organized ourselves to ENJOY the fruits of this world and the produce of our intellect, which is a reasonable and desirable end. Why would we build all of this, only to regulate ourselves into slavery?

Man's knowledge and capabilities have increased to nearly godly levels of power, and even a man of small means can regulate himself quite peacefully in America. There really aren't that many threats to our way of life.

Why then, am I not given the greater charge over my own life? Do I need these regulators, these governments? I do not see how I am improved by them. That being the point of my judgment: Does this current system benefit me sufficiently to justify its burden upon my life and Liberty?

I do not think it does! We are no longer a pioneering republic. We have settled all the lands. If our intent really is to sit back and enjoy the fruits of our labors, having fulfilled our manifest destiny, why then don't we do so?

I pose this question to you, gentlemen who vote, and who think.

Arkaleus.


[Edited on 17-10-2004 by Arkaleus]