Some insight from Robert Heinlein
I found this quote from Robert Heinlein's "Take Back Your Government: A practical handbook for the private citizen who wants democracy to work" at QuotableHeinlein.com. It's incomplete in explanation but offers some conclusions that I like and agree with, so I thought I might offer it for your consideration.
From politics I have come to believe the following:
(1) Most people are basically honest, kind and decent.
(2) The American people are wise enough to run their own affairs. The do not need Fuehrers, Strong Men, Technocrats, Commissars, Silver Shirts, Theocrats, or any other sort of dictator.
(3) Americans have a compatible community of ambitions. Most of them don't want to be rich but do want enough economic security to permit them to raise families in decent comfort without fear of the future. They want the least government necessary to this purpose and don't greatly mind what the other fellow does as long as it does not interfere with them living their own lives. As a people we are neither money mad nor prying. We are easy-going and anarchistic. We may want to keep up with the Joneses -- but not with the Vanderbilts. We don't like cops.
(4) Democracy is not an automatic condition resulting from laws and constitutions. It is a living, dynamic process which must be worked at by you yourself -- or it ceases to be democracy, even if the shell and form remains.
(5) One way or another, any government which remains in power is a representative government. If your city government is a crooked machine, then it is because you and your neighbors prefer it that way -- prefer it to the effort of running your own affairs. Hitler's government was a popular government; the vast majority of Germans preferred the rule of gangsters to the effort of thinking and doing for themselves. They abdicated their franchise.
(6) Democracy is the most efficient form of government ever invented by the human race. On the record, it has worked better in peace and in war than fascism, communism, or any other form of dictatorship. As for the mythical yardstick of 'benevolent' monarchy or dictatorship -- there ain't no such animal!
(7) A single citizen, with no political connections and no money, can be extremely effective in politics.
posted by Roger W. at 1:18 PM
5 Comments:
Here's another quote of his I found that I like:
"At least once every human should have to run for his life, to teach him that milk does not come from supermarkets, that safety does not come from policemen, that "news" is not something that happens to other people."
I would agree with almost the entirety of the quotation, except for "People don't like cops." I think people like cops just fine; what they don't like is a cop who abuses his authority. Unfortunately, some people are attracted to police work because of the power it gives them over ordinary citizens, rather than because they have a desire to serve the community. We have the same problem with many politicians today, especially on the state and national level. An obvious example of this is the stampede by the Democrat party away from supporting our efforts in Iraq and the war on terror. For politicians such as John Kerry, John Edwards, and most recently Hillary Clinton to claim that they were somehow deceived by President Bush into voting for the war would be laughable if it wasn't such a serious issue. These politicians weren't deceived by anybody; they stuck their fingers in the wind and voted in a manner that they thought would most condusive to keeping them in office and in power. Now they think they can achieve more power by being against the war. The sad part is, some people are naive enough to buy into their b.s.. It seems obvious to me they seek elected office to serve themselves instead of the country.
Agreed. I think the cop statement was assuming the authority-abusing stereotype, and siding with the libertarian "I'd rather be left alone when things are going right," laissez-faire attitude of the rest of the quotation. And, of course, I agree with your assessments of those power-seeking politicians; it's important to note another who I think is left off many such lists by the uninformed: Barack Obama. Nothing I've seen or heard of him suggests that much anything is more sacred to Senator Obama than voting safely versus voting strongly. Not that I'd necessarily prefer him to vote strongly; if he were to really show his true colors, he'd be voting pretty much against everything I believe in.
One way or another, any government which remains in power is a representative government.
believe it or not, i agree with this point quite strongly. i still think that the international community should have a strong presence in making sure that no one violates certain human rights codes. other than that, isn't it rather important for a country to pull itself out of political discontent?
This doesn't necessarily apply to Roger's topic, but I saw it on another blog,and liked it, so I decided to post it here. I haven't checked to see if the quote is real, so let the reader beware. I felt a real kinship with Patrick Henry when I read this.
According to Patrick Henry:
I detest any submission to a people who have either ceased to be human, or have not virtue enough to feel their own wretchedness. If ye love comfort better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, [then] go from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or arms. Crouch down and lick the hands of your master. May your chains sit lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that ye were our countrymen!"
-Patrick Henry
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