By Stephen Smoot
Every nation on Earth should rightfully feel pride in their history, traditions, culture, and people because every nation on Earth has done more good than ill.
Every nation’s people should rightfully feel proud that they are of that country and celebrate its accomplishments and impact.
The United States of America, its people forming the single greatest nation in the history of mankind, has even more right to feel a special kind of pride.
For 250 years, this nation has raised the standard of freedom to inspire movements of liberty worldwide, not only abroad, but within the nation as well. The standard set by the Declaration of Independence has challenged every world government, including our own, ever since, to respect the natural rights of each individual.
For 250 years, this nation has raised the standard of opportunity. The same restrictive British mercantilism that drove America into rebellion also inspired Adam Smith’s “Wealth of Nations.” Reaffirmed by Frederic Bastiat’s “The Law” a few decades later, these works illustrate the free market system better than anyone before Milton and Rose Friedmann.
Free market capitalism rejects government support for some over others. Both Smith and Bastiat attacked slavery with the same fervent passion they used to promote the free market because one did not have the latter in the presence of the former. When left to work with a minimum of intervention, the free market has done more to raise the standard of living anywhere it has been practiced than any government action ever could.
It’s not an American system. It is part of who and what America is.
For 250 years, the standard of meritocracy has served as the most powerful impetus to excellence in global history. It developed as the frontier spread across the continent, assisted by the lack of a natural aristocracy and the need for people with skills and leadership ability.
One can say that Charlie Daniels’ “The Devil Went Down to Georgia” is the quintessential American song for many reasons. The best of which is that the Devil himself is compelled to bow before the morality of meritocracy.
For 250 years, the people of the United States have revered the Founding Fathers and their legacy. These men, some advised closely by their wise wives, formed the most unique cadre of leaders ever brought together to create a nation and government.
No established church leaders, no aristocrats save those of foreign countries serving in the Continental Army under Washington, no royalty lent a hand in its creation. Most of those at the forefront were farmers and had also served in some military capacity. These two fields of endeavor lend themselves closely to forming good government officials because the focus of each must remain in practical pursuits. Some lawyers, small business owners, and professionals were sprinkled among them.
Yet the Founding Fathers had some of the foremost minds on Earth at the time, in some cases ever. George Washington served as an unlikely historical great as both a general and a head of state. John Adams and John Marshall were two of the greatest legal minds in history. James Madison crafted much of the document that emerged as the Constitution.
For 250 year a remarkable nation created by remarkable people has led to some of the most remarkable achievements of any nation in history. No people ever lived with more freedom or prosperity than those of the United States of America.
And Lord willing and the people working, neither of those has to change in the next 250 years.
