Question #8: What is the fundamental character of human beings?
July 5, 2008 by Stephen Palmer · 1 Comment
| 10 Foundational Questions | Introduction | Question #1 | Question #2 | Question #3 | Question #4 | Question #5 | Question #6 | Question #7 |
“Fear is the foundation of most governments; but it is so sordid and brutal a passion, and renders men in whose breasts it predominates so stupid and miserable, that Americans will not be likely to approve of any political institution which is founded on it… The foundation of every government is some principle or passion in the minds of the people. The noblest principles and most generous affections in our nature, then, have the fairest chance to support the noblest and most generous models of government.” - John Adams in Thoughts on Government
At the core of political philosophy and constitutional government is the issue of human nature; we can’t know how to govern unless we fully understand whom is being governed. Designing and managing a polity must take into consideration who human beings are, how and why they act, and how to best promote their happiness.
Human nature is composed of two things: 1) motivations, and 2) tendencies.
Human Motivation
The brilliant Austrian economist Ludwig von Mises formulated a methodology for understanding human action that he called “praxeology.” Mises deduced fifty laws of human action, which include the following highlights:
- Choice determines all human action.
- Human action is purposeful; people make choices for reasons.
- Action is the attempt to change the state of being for a more satisfactory state.
- No person does anything except what they think will improve their satisfaction.
The core of Mises’ laws is that we act to increase our satisfaction. From getting up from the couch to get a soda, to going to church, to perpetrating violent crime, every human action is designed to bring the actor more satisfaction than he or she currently feels.
A well-designed body politic, then, will allow its citizens to seek and gain satisfaction in any way they see fit, as long as they do not encroach upon the unalienable rights of others. As the Roman statesman Cato said, “By liberty, I understand the power which every man has over his own actions, and his right to enjoy the fruit of his labor, art, and industry, as far as by it he hurts not the society or any members of it, by taking from any member or by hindering him from enjoying what he himself enjoys.”
Human Tendencies
Are human beings good, or evil? Are we fallen beings, or are we enlightened beings of light and love? Do we seek depravity, or degeneracy?
Yes.
It seems like most philosophers have held the either/or view of human nature; some say we are good, and some say we are bad. It seems clear to me that we are both, that inherent to every individual is the potential for divinity and degeneracy.
Why It Matters
How well can you answer these questions?
May 14, 2008 by Stephen Palmer · 7 Comments
Do you know why the following questions matter? Can you list at least three sources of opposing views on the answers?
Read the questions then answer them by commenting below.
1. What is the source of man’s rights?
2. What are the differences between unalienable and civil rights?
3. What is the proper role of government?
4. What is the American form of government?
5. What are the four foundations of freedom, according to the American Founders?
6. What is more important–culture, or politics and government?
7. What are “legitimate foundation” and “legitimate authority” in political philosophy?
8. What is the fundamental character of human beings?
9. What are the seven major societal forms, or institutions, and what are the roles of each?
10. What are the connections between liberty and property?
Share your answers by commenting below.
Bonus Question: What is the significance of the picture I used on this post?
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Copyright © 2008 by The Cause of Liberty. All rights reserved.
Not easy, but worth it…
January 25, 2008 by Stephen Palmer · Leave a Comment
Many people fear freedom because, deep down, they know that it entails heavy responsibilities. A perfect example of this is the ancient Israelites under the direction of Moses. The Israelites suffered under the tyranny of the Pharaohs in Egypt for generations, and longed to be free. But shortly after they were freed by Moses, they learned the harsh lesson that freedom comes with responsibility.
In Exodus chapter 16 verse three in the Bible we read, “And the children of Israel said unto them, Would to God we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger.”
They preferred to be fed and enslaved over being hungry and free. The irony is that, had they persisted in freedom (combined with personal responsibility), they would have been able to create far more food and wealth than they ever could have found in Egypt.
Freedom isn’t easy, but it’s worth it.
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The End of the Republic!
January 25, 2008 by Stephen Palmer · Leave a Comment
Alexander Tytler, a 17th Century historian, studied the rise and fall of nations and taught what we now know as Tytler’s Cycle.
According to Tytler, all nations go from bondage to spiritual faith, from spiritual faith to great courage, from courage to freedom, from freedom to abundance, from abundance to selfishness, from selfishness to complacency, from complacency to apathy, from apathy to dependence, and from dependence back to bondage.
The critical thing, said Tytler, that leads a nation to switch from abundance to selfishness, is when they vote themselves benefits from the national treasury. Benjamin Franklin showed his understanding of this when he wrote:
“When the people find that they can vote themselves money, that will herald the end of the republic.”
The Year America Flipped the Switch
America flipped this fatal switch in 1913, during the Progressive Era, by passing the 16th and 17th Amendments and the Federal Reserve Act, all of which enabled us to vote ourselves benefits from the national treasury.
The 16th Amendment gave us income tax. Prior to this amendment, the federal government was prohibited from tapping the pocketbook of individuals. They determined their budget, then levied the states for taxes. It was a huge barrier between the federal government and the individual, and it was demolished with the 16th Amendment.
The 17th Amendment changed the way that Senators are elected. Prior to this amendment, Senators were elected by state legislatures, which meant that they weren’t beholden to the people at large, at least not directly. The Senate represented the rich and the states, while the House represented the poor and the people. This scheme of representation was perhaps the single most important key to our Constitution, as it checked and balanced the interests of major factions.
“Forced to choose, the poor, like the rich, love money more than political liberty; and the only political freedom capable of enduring is one that is so pruned as to keep the rich from denuding the poor by ability or subtlety and the poor from robbing the rich by violence or votes.” -Will Durant
The 17th Amendment kicked the legs out from underneath the Constitution. Now, Senators are elected by the people, just like Congressmen. How do they stay in power? By voting more benefits to their constituents. They no longer fight for the rights and freedoms of the states, which means that with this amendment the balance of power swung heavily in favor of the federal government, to the detriment of the states.
They no longer fight against wealth redistribution — in fact, they encourage it. They no longer check and balance the House — they’re joined at the hip, representing the same interests.
Combine the effects of the 16th and 17th Amendments and you have a bloated federal government whose power multiplies like a virus. These two amendments demolished our most critical constitutional checks and balances. They, combined with the Federal Reserve Act, set the stage for the Great Depression, the New Deal, and virtually every form of wealth redistribution in existence today.
They eroded the foundations of our constitutional Republic and swayed us toward the evils of democracy. They allowed us to vote ourselves benefits from the national treasury, resulting in the legalized plunder of one group of people to benefit another.
“…a wise and frugal Government, which shall restrain men from injuring one another, shall leave them otherwise free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned.” -Thomas Jefferson
If we wish to transcend the bondage of selfishness and dependence, we must repeal these life-threatening amendments. In the meantime, do your part in keeping our Republic healthy by living a self-reliant life, as well as helping those in need so that the government can stay in its proper sphere of protecting inalienable rights only. The less our citizens depend on the government for their daily needs, the stronger our Republic will be and the longer it will last.
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Copyright © 2008 by The Cause of Liberty. All rights reserved.
Freedom, or Security?
January 24, 2008 by Stephen Palmer · Leave a Comment
The desire for security in a turbulent world is natural and understandable. Yet if we seek security in place of liberty, we will inevitably be led to a counterfeit of true security: slavery.
More often than not, freedom and security are mutually exclusive. Many vote for policies that rob them of precious freedoms in order to ensure their safety. People choose jobs for their benefits and stability, as opposed to what aligns with their passion and purpose. But as Benjamin Franklin wisely observed, “They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.”
America must reclaim her heritage and choose virtue over vice, sacrifice over expediency, and courage over subservience, rather than a culture and government that usurps authority and abdicates responsibility. You can be instrumental in leading that charge by choosing freedom over false security in your own life. Follow your dreams, your passion, your purpose, and choose the difficult yet noble path of heroism, fortitude, perseverance, and creativity. Rise up to your potential and be worthy of the responsibility of freedom!
Move the Cause of Liberty by (1) subscribing to the Sentinel, a free weekly newsletter boldly illuminating the principles of freedom in a darkening nation, and (2) pledging your Life, Liberty, and Sacred Honor to the Cause by signing the Declaration of Dependence.
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Copyright © 2008 by The Cause of Liberty. All rights reserved.
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