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Of course Hamilton will cut parts of history short, modify some and embellish others. It's a work of art that has to cram 30 years into around 3 hours of musica
by entee 11y ago
Of course Hamilton will cut parts of history short, modify some and embellish others. It's a work of art that has to cram 30 years into around 3 hours of musical theater. Hamilton was probably an elitist, he also was probably not as strongly against slavery as the musical implies. Then again, the musical doesn't really talk all that much about his views on slavery either, just a few mentions here and there.
Historical fiction need not be 100% factually accurate to powerfully inform. I have read more actual history about this period because the musical made it so compelling than I otherwise would have.
In the end it's remarkable how much of the history it gets right (beautifully summarizing the complicated negotiations around the creating of the national bank for example), and how it shows two sides loathing one another and fighting through energetic political discourse eventually found a way to compromise and/or move on in order to build a nation.
Today we have one political party that seems completely unwilling to compromise and another that's heading that way. Nobody wants to accept defeat, nobody want to accept half-a-loaf to keep things going. We should remember that this country was founded on sometimes good and sometimes terrible compromises, but the country moved forward as a result. Yes the worst ones eventually were resolved by blood, and we're still handling the aftermath, but without compromise we'd never have had the chance to figure out which were the better angels of our nature.
- protomyth 11y ago> Today we have one political party that seems completely unwilling to compromise and another that's heading that way. Perception is an interesting thing. Many of us believe one party has compromised too much and caved, being steam rolled by the party that won't compromise a thing even when their majorities are taken away. Hamilton actually did a pretty good job at an amazing compromise involving the location of the capital and debt responsibility. Both sides got something of worth, and it probably was a part of keeping the states together.
- entee 11y agoTrying to scrupulously avoid inflammatory descriptions but I personally believe the Republican Party has become a shadow of its former self by taking a totally uncompromising and childish approach to policy and governing. I think it's important to have two parties that have strong ideas, even ones I disagree with. It's not ok to have total obstruction and political total war. Total war just leaves everyone worse off, the country deserves better. I would like to know why back then people disagreed at least as strongly with one another but we're able to move forward and today we've totally lost than.
- protomyth 11y agoAnd I personally believe anyone uttering the phrase "I have a phone and a pen" has no interest in compromise or how they shut out amendments when they controlled the Senate, but they get backed by the press. Our country does deserve better, and I'm a bit sick of seeing an obstructionist meme applied to the wrong party. President Clinton understood compromise and did great things, this President doesn't.