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“brainwashed” Distrust of government, and the limiting of its powers, is an American founding principle. It has resulted in federalism, separation of powers,
by massysett 3y ago
“brainwashed”
Distrust of government, and the limiting of its powers, is an American founding principle. It has resulted in federalism, separation of powers, a Constitution that protects property rights, and a Bill of Rights. This skepticism of government stemmed from the lived experience of the founders.
That this founding principle still permeates American thinking and American life is something I would call culture, or an ethos. But it is not, in my experience, brainwashing.
- Sammi 3y ago"federalism, separation of powers, a Constitution that protects property rights, and a Bill of Rights." These things exist in the EU. Are you sure you are not brainwashed?
- buzzert 3y agoThe US Constitution maintains that rights defined in the Bill of Rights pre-exist government ("inalienable"). The EU's Charter of Fundamental Rights defines rights granted to the people by the government. This is a subtle, but important difference.
- schoen 3y agoI agree that the U.S. political tradition often regards our rights as recognized or discovered rather than granted, but the "inalienable" language is from the Declaration of Independence, not the Bill of Rights (and in the original it was "unalienable", which is now archaic).
- piva00 3y agoI still can't reconcile the fact that "Life" is one of those inalienable rights while the US still has capital punishment (and that part of the population even celebrates having it).
- buzzert 3y agoCapital punishment is not in the constitution, and it is regularly challenged legally. Many states are continuing to abolish it.
- massysett 3y agoIs distrust of government a founding principle of the EU?