Moral people make good government

http://www.revolutionarywararchives.org/salomon.html

 Deliberating Democracy in the
Americashttp: //www.dda. deliberating. org/index. php?option= com_cont&# 92;
ent&view=section&la yout=blog&id= 5&Itemid= 37&lang=en

http://www.crf- usa.org/foundati ons-of-our- constitution/ foundation&# 92;
s-of-our-constituti on.html

Mayflower Compact

Here's an essay written by a student on the subject. It might help you get started on your presentation for class.

As the western United States were being settled by pioneers, miners, and ranchers, the absence of government showed that the people are the true source of governmental power and influence.

The new citizens of the untamed wilderness quickly learned to govern themselves. They demonstrated a high work ethic and a respect for the property rights of their neighbors. Those who came out west with low self-discipline and inability to govern themselves soon proved to others that they couldn’t be trusted. The formal laws of government weren’t in place to prevent their vices and they often violated others rights in favor of their own interests.

Conflicts between law-abiding citizens and rogue groups of individuals became the stuff of legends. Stage coaches and mail carriers were robbed. Cattle were stolen with impunity. The citizens who desired peace began to communicate with each other and form agreements for mutual protection. They formed their own justice system until formal laws were established and a police force organized.

The rogue groups looked for ways to benefit from others without working in traditional ways. They argued with others over conflicting desires and often took matters into their own hands to exact revenge. They tried to evade just punishments for their crimes.

The circumstance of this lawless region demonstrate that abiding under law is a choice made by a moral and virtuous people. The laws and government we now have only formally express the values held by the society as a whole. They protect the rights of the majority from those whose roguishness motivates them to violate and disrupt the peace.

It is my opinion that without a moral people to stand behind the laws all of society would suffer from the unrestrained selfishness of their neighbors. The government would be unable to enforce laws preventing every possible vice unless the government reduced all people to slavery. Individuals would need to protect their own interests if they couldn’t trust others to keep the peace.

Trust is earned. Through consistent exercise of self restraint, people come together to build neighborhoods, cities and national governments for the promotion of civilization. Without trust, anarchy and tribalism prevent the cooperation of people on a large scale. The current and continuing conflicts between law-abiding citizens and rogue individuals proves that freedom will always lie in the virtuous actions of each individual of society.