The American Spirit 1-31-10
At the close of the 1700’s, two democracies had emerged from the turbulent chaos of the 18th century: the United States of America and the French Republic. From the start, these two “great experiments” were compared with each other; often the comparison was neither fair nor flattering to the USA. Both had their beginnings in the abuse of power by a monarch and the yearnings of the people to be free, as expressed by a select group of men. Both transformed the economic and political stage for future generations. Both reaped the harvest of consequences they had sown in the manner of their revolution. But to say that they were the same but for which side of the ocean they occurred is to err grievously: they were as different as night and day.
The beginnings of the American revolution in the abuse of power by a monarch (King George III) and the yearnings of the people to be free were, from the start, rooted in the rights enjoyed by all subjects of the British crown. The phrase “taxation without representation” had meaning precisely because all British citizens were taxed by Parliament, wherein they had representatives they had elected; since the colonies had no such representatives, they rightly viewed Parliament had no right to levy taxes on them. The American revolution did not start out as an independence movement, but became one because they felt the Crown had forfeited its God-given authority when it abandoned its God-given responsibility. The nature of the American revolution was shaped by Christian beliefs and traditions.
The beginnings of the French revolution in the abuse of power by a monarch (King Louis XVI) and the yearnings of the people to be free were, unlike the Americans, rooted in financial crises, widespread famine and starvation, and the eruption of resentment among the lower classes of the privileges of the upper classes. All of the social classes among the French had special privileges in theory, such as the nobility’s tax exemptions or the commoners’ right to operate business ventures (something denied to aristocrats); in reality, most of the commoners realized very little benefit and were universally exploited by nobles, clergy, and merchants. The French revolution is rightly named the “Reign of Terror,” because the national emotions boiled up and led to the use of murderous show trials to “right the wrongs” and to restore “social justice.” What was seen in the French revolution was described by Alexander Hamilton:
“… when I find the doctrine of atheism openly advanced in the convention, and heard with loud applause; when I see the sword of fanaticism extended to force a political creed upon citizens who were invited to submit to the arms of France as the harbingers of liberty; when I behold the hand of rapacity outstretched to prostrate and ravish the monuments of religious worship, erected by those citizens and their ancestors … I acknowledge that I am glad to believe there is no real resemblance between what is the cause of America and what is the cause of France; that the difference is no less great than that between liberty and licentiousness.” (quoted in George Washington, William Roscoe Taylor, 1922)
There is absolute difference between the fathers of the American revolution (Washington, Adams, Jefferson, Hamilton, Franklin, etc.) and the bloodthirsty leaders of the French Reign of Terror (Robespierre, Marat, Carrier, Roux, Hébert, etc.): the former were guided predominately by their sense of divine providence – that God was in control and the best they could do was trust his guidance; the latter chose instead to place faith in man and in fact even did their best to extinguish Christian beliefs in France. As a direct result of this difference, America had developed into a lawful nation guided by Christian beliefs, while France has suffered despots and terrors ever since.
This is exactly as the Bible says it will always be with the affairs of man: man prospers only as he follows God, and nations prosper only as they serve to facilitate man’s following of God.
Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the LORD and against his Anointed One. “Let us break their chains,” they say, “and throw off their fetters.” The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them. Then he rebukes them in his anger and terrifies them in his wrath, saying, “I have installed my King on Zion, my holy hill.” (Psalm 2:1-6 NIV)
Not to us, O LORD, not to us but to your name be the glory, because of your love and faithfulness. Why do the nations say, “Where is their God?” Our God is in heaven; he does whatever pleases him. But their idols are silver and gold, made by the hands of men. (Psalm 115:1-4 NIV)
The trend in America today is for American citizens to look to politicians to look after the “will of the people,” and for Presidents to look at polls as proof of a “mandate by the people” to do whatever pleases them. This will lead us to ruin, just as it did France; our mandate is to look to divine providence for our guide, and to trust in the will of the Lord. The American spirit has long been known for strength, courage, generosity, and compassion; but it has only gotten this reputation because it was empowered by the people trusting in the Holy Spirit. It will only regain its reputation by again, trusting in the Holy Spirit. Let’s make every effort to bring Americans back to their true identity, as the shining city on the hill, shining with Christ’s light.
-Charles Peterson