The recent announcement that the Department of War will condition its support for Scouting America on the rollback of certain diversity initiatives has been framed as another chapter in the culture wars. Perhaps it is. But as I have watched the debate unfold, I have found myself less interested in the political skirmish and more … Continue reading Boundaries, Belonging, and the Meaning of Citizenship
Category: Political Institutions
Essays examining the structures through which societies organize authority, including democratic systems, constitutional government, and other forms of political order.
Brother Jonathan And Uncle Sam: Two Faces Of American Identity
Uncle Sam is not your neighbor. He never was. He points, he commands, he recruits. He appears when taxes are due, when wars begin, when authority needs a face. For more than a century, Americans have treated this as natural — as if the republic itself could only be imagined as a stern, aging uncle … Continue reading Brother Jonathan And Uncle Sam: Two Faces Of American Identity
A Republic of you can keep it, Part II
In a previous post, I touched on the topic of the instability of democracy. Democracy is an unstable political machine. It requires frequent maintenance and its gears wear out quickly. In America, the gears of the machine (i.e. politicians) must be replaced at two, four, and six year intervals, depending the particular gear being replaced. … Continue reading A Republic of you can keep it, Part II
The moral right to lands lost in conquest
I'll not get into an academic discussion of the issue of whether or not various Native American tribes truly own the land their ancestors once occupied. The article below more than sufficiently deals with that, but I'd like to approach it from a layman's perspective. ‘Do Indians Rightfully Own America?’:By Walter Olson Bryan Caplan at … Continue reading The moral right to lands lost in conquest
Natural Law in the Nursery
I don't think I've ever seen a much simpler and more concise explanation:Natural Law in the Nursery:By Walter Olson“It’s my toy” = property law“You promised” = contract law“He hit me first” = criminal law“Daddy said I could” = constitutional law—Examples that the late Prof. Harold Berman of Harvard and Emory liked to invoke to show … Continue reading Natural Law in the Nursery
Who opposed the War of 1812?
I sadly must admit that my knowledge of many of the wars the United States have engaged in is limited, but I am proud to share this article from the Oxford University Press on the War of 1812:Who opposed the War of 1812?: By Troy BickhamAs North America begins to mark the bicentennial of the War of … Continue reading Who opposed the War of 1812?
When Companies Become Countries
Being a geek, I really enjoy reading Scott Adams's Dilbert Blog1 almost as much as I enjoy the comic strip. The post below piqued my interest: When Companies Become Countries: I wonder when the first multinational company will form its own country to avoid wars, government red tape, and corporate taxes. It feels inevitable. I assume it will … Continue reading When Companies Become Countries
