Happy Birthday America

I’m not sure how the “War never solved anything” crowd celebrates this day but it is certainly a day that commemorates the beginning of a war that led to the creation of the United States.

War against a king is certainly nothing unusual in history. Of course neither is war in the name of the king. In fact since feudal times, the norm has been a war of king versus king.

In a few instances however, under the rule of a tyrant king, the common man would rise up against the throne. These uprisings were few and rarely accomplished more than the wholesale death of the working aged men of the peasantry followed by even more brutal rule from the throne.

This is probably why such uprisings were unusual. The peasantry was certainly aware of the slim likelihood of success and the harsh and inevitable aftermath of failure. Historically it can be said that no sane king fears an uprising from his people; for no sane king would create conditions so brutal that the masses would even consider such an enormously risky enterprise.

The simple rule for a king was to avoid the development a massive impoverished population controlled by a brutal and corrupt ruling class. The idea was that the only people who will risk everything are the people who have nothing.

Given the conditions in the American colonies in the 1770’s, King George by this logic had little to fear. The average American citizen lived in more comfort and far more prospect than their European counterparts. American farms were productive and growing rapidly, trade was swelling and its cities were growing and prosperous.

The Colonies had become a cash cow for King George and there was no real reason for him to anticipate that changing any time soon.

The founders of the American Revolution were not poor and hopeless masses lashing out in frustration staging pointless public demonstrations or the kidnapping and killing of local officials.

In fact the founding fathers were the most powerful and affluent men in America. They were the most educated and their prospect for even more future wealth was almost unlimited.

They had plenty and yet bonded together to risk it all in a bold military endeavor against the most powerful army in the world. Against all historic norms, a successful and relatively wealthy band of subjects had joined to rise against the crown.

The result was the creation of the United States which of course has grew into the most powerful nation on earth.

Freedom is bought with courage and oppression awaits those who live in counsel of their fears.

Category: Politics