(March 5, 2021 at 12:57 pm)Angrboda Wrote:(March 5, 2021 at 12:34 pm)Ferrocyanide Wrote: Is Thomas Jefferson important in 20/21 th century USA?
I always see united statians quoting these oldies.
Thomas Jefferson time is over. He died. His family and friends died as well a long time ago.
Decide for yourself what kind of a world you want to live in. Decide for yourself if you want a separation of church and state. Discuss the benefits and losses instead of quoting what some guy from another century has said.
PS: I'm in Canada. I've never seen anyone quote some canadian politician from long ago when it comes to deciding on important questions of today.
--Ferrocyanide
The point is that American government is a descendant of English law in which individual rights and precedent are paramount. It's fine to break with the past so long as those still living under a structure built from those past precedents is on board with it. Breaking with the past in a way which breaks what isn't broken--precedent and continuity-- is illegitimate and dangerous. The future needs to build on the past if for no other reason that that is where the mandate for and rules for breaking from the past come from. Just taking a left turn out of nowhere without any previous structural restraint simply ain't cricket. It's like changing the rules of chess in midgame--once you start with some rules, unless you're going to start a new game, you should follow through with those rules. Especially the rules about making changes.
Um depends on what period of history of England one is talking about. It started out as being ruled by a ruling family, and those are basically dictatorships. The idea of peoples rights only new in human history. It is also false to think that Greece and Rome were the seat of modern democracy. They certainly had "senates" but they were, like England, ruled by a ruling family.
This was the actual first attempt at "we the people" in England rule, although it did not last.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_I_of_England
It should be said that the current Queen has "technical" absolute rule, but she knows her history. I do hate however, when our American right wing point to the Magna Carta.
Currently England treats it's "Royalty" as more of a living museum family. But also the Queen can't be voted out of office like an American President.
