As of this posting, the 2020 election results in the U.S.A. are still being contested. As we face the fork in the road between socialism and capitalism, many of us are wondering how we got here. From where I stand, it seems as if we, collectively (including myself) with traditional values, somehow enabled our country to face a Constitutional crisis. I am stunned and saddened to see this happen to the greatest nation on earth, to which I had the privilege of legally immigrating as an adult nearly half a century ago. How did this happen?
It seems that we’ve all been happily drinking the cool aide called, Democracy, while trusting that all Americans are following the same basic social rules. For example, geographically, culturally, and religiously, Japan and the U.S.A. could not be farther apart from each other. Yet, at the core, both peoples follow the same basic social rules. The easiest way to explain it is that, although there are so few Christians in Japan, most Japanese would agree with the Ten Commandments.
In school in post-war Japan, it was touted that America brought to Japan, “food, peace, and Democracy.” Because I loved America as a kid in Japan, I openly embraced that Democracy was a good thing.
Little did I know – until I began working on this post – that neither John Adams nor Thomas Jefferson trusted Democracy as a form of government.
Before getting to what John Adams is said to have written to an acquaintance on this day in 1814, I am compelled to establish a brief historical sequence of events. By doing so, I am hoping that it may help explain the reason behind his comment.
1776:
- The Declaration of Independence
- The fourth of July 1776 marks the birth of the United States of America.
- The Declaration of Independence expresses the ideals on which the United States was founded and the reasons for separation from Great Britain.
1787:
- The Constitution of the USA ratified
- The Constitution defines the framework of the Federal Government of the United States.
1789:
- George Washington became the first President of the United States; served two terms.
1791:
1797:
- John Adams succeeded George Washington, becoming the second President of the United States; served one term.
1801:
- Thomas Jefferson succeeded John Adams, becoming the third President of the United States; served two terms.
1814:
- On December 17, 1814, John Adams wrote to John Taylor. In part, the letter reads (in its original, unedited form):
There never was a Democracy Yet, that did not commit suicide. It is in vain to Say that Democracy is less vain, less proud, less selfish, less ambitious or less avaricious than Aristocracy or Monarchy. It is not true in Fact and no where appears in history. Those Passions are the same in all Men under all forms of Simple Government, and when unchecked, produce the same Effects of Fraud Violence and Cruelty. When clear Prospects are opened before Vanity, Pride, Avarice or Ambition, for their easy gratification, it is hard for the most considerate Phylosophers and the most conscientious Moralists to resist the temptation. Individuals have conquered themselves, Nations and large Bodies of Men, never.
From the historical sequence of events, we know that, long before John Adams made the above remark, the country had already been established as a Constitutional Republic. I surmise, therefore, that John Adams was explaining to John Taylor why the country was not set up as a Democracy.
Democracy means the majority rules. I used to think that it was a good thing for ordinary citizens like me to be in a democratic society. While it sounds fine on the surface, however, under Democracy, all it takes is for someone or some organization to rise up and manipulate the majority to vote for its agenda, while ignoring the minority input. There is a reason Plato said, “Dictatorship naturally arises out of Democracy.”
In contrast, with checks and balances among the Legislative, Executive, and Judicial branches that a Constitutional Republic affords a nation for the benefit of all its citizens, such manipulation is kept to a minimum. Or, at least, that’s the idea.
- Fast forward to 2020. Despite the three branches of government, rather than the Constitutional Republic that it is supposed to be, today’s America looks more like Democracy gone wild.
- The “votes” obtained by lying, cheating, and stealing are considered legitimate not only by Democrats but even by many, albeit not all, Republicans.
- Despite the preponderance of the evidence, the Supreme Court rejected hearing a case challenging the validity of the votes.
- The question is, “How did we end up getting here?”
Just like so many others before me, including Ronald Reagan and Clarence Thomas, the Democrat Party left me when I began using my own brain to think things through, and started seeing the reality of the criminal organization that is the Democrat party.
If he were alive today, I wonder how John Adams would explain how we got here. I have a hunch that he might simply say, “Individuals have conquered themselves, Nations and large Bodies of Men, never.”
