American Constitution: Modern Critics

Figure 1.--Elaborate clothing is one way of exhibiting wealth. The genisus of the Fauntleroy suit was that it was a way in wgich the newly affluent class in America afyter the Civil War could show off their wealth. This did not, howeber, prove very effective. The growing middle class simply copied the style and outfitted their boys similarly. This is one reason that the Fauntleroy suit was more widely worn in America than any other country. This boy came from Dyersville, Iowa.

While an icon of American democracy, the American Constitution and the Republic it created is not without its modern critics. Most of the critics come from the left of the poliical spectrum, The Constitution and the American Republic are criticicized historically for leaving many groups out of the political process (landless white, blacks, and women). Critics of modern America fundamentally address inequities in America, especially disparities in the distribution of wealth. The historic criticisms are generally written by authors with flawed perspectives. They use modern values to evaluate historic periods. It is relly tiresome to even address such deeply misguided criticisms. It is true that it has taken far too long to address the needs of various groups. The point is, however, that the Constitution has provided the flexibility to address their just demands. While it is fair to criticize the extended periods involved, this needs to be put in perspetive of real political alternatives. Did European countries address these concerns more effictely and faster? More important are criticis of modern America. There are indeed inequities in the distribution of wealth that need to be addressed. Unfortunately the criticism from the left tends to be highly ideological. Rarely do they promote solutions involving creating wealth. Rather the solutions has been the socialistic approach of destributing existing wealth. Avoided is the fact that the great experiments in socialism (the Soviet Union, Eastern European satellites, Cuba, China, Viet Nam, Cambodia, and North Korea) have not only created poverty, but monsterous tyranies as well). More moderate approaches in Western Europe have brought not only economic stagnation, but socities facing the same kind of inequalities as America. In Europe the grminorites vary from country to country and include people from formr colonies as well as growing Muslim population.

Historical Criticisms

The Constitution and the American Republic are criticicized historically for leaving many groups out of the political process (landless white, blacks, and women). Critics of modern America fundamentally address inequities in America, especially disparities in the distribution of wealth. The historic criticisms are generally written by authors with flawed perspectives. They use modern values to evaluate historic periods and useually carefully select the facts they want to mention. It is relly tiresome to even address such deeply misguided criticisms. It is true that it has taken far too long to address the needs of various groups. The point is, however, that the Constitution has provided the flexibility to address their just demands. While it is fair to criticize the extended periods involved, this needs to be put in perspetive of real political alternatives. Did European countries address these concerns more effictely and faster? Critics of the Constitution and the early Republic constantly point out that the franchise was at first limited to propertied white men. [McDougall] This is somehow presented as outrageous because in affornts our modern sensabilities. Unsaid is the fact that such a concept in 1789 was revolutionary. Almost all of Europe was governed by divine right monarchies and nobels which denied political particupation to commoners or essentially almost all of the population. While the American Republic an be faulted on race issues, it generally led Europe in widning the franchise, a fact that critics like McDougall fail to mention because it would being their thesis into question. The option to a slow, but steady expansion of political participation was demonstrated in France, leading to The Terror and a Bonapartist dictatorship. More recent examples of Revolution (Russia, China, Cambodia, Vietmam, and Korea) have led to national poverty and mass murder.

Equality

One precept of both the American and French Revolution was equality. Critics decry the fact that America in its nationl credo idealizes equality and yet permits disparities in wealth. [McDougall] The concept of equality is commonly misunderstood. None of the founding documents of the American Republic promised absolute equality. And the Socialists states that have attempted to level material possessions have accomplished this only by making everone poor (Soviet Union, China, Cuba) and enforcing that poverty by a police state. What Ameica offered was equality of opportunity and quality before the law. Now America can be criticised for inadequcies in this doctrine, but the story of the American Republic is the steady if slow movement toward this goal. And by the mid-20th century we reached a pont where ethnic minorities, handicapped, poor citizens, and other previously poweless groups can bring and win cases before the supreme court (Brown, Miranda, and many others).

Modern Criticisms

More important are criticis of modern America. There are indeed inequities in the distribution of wealth that need to be addressed. Unfortunately the criticism from the left tends to be highly ideological. Rarely do they carefully assess why disparities exist. And almost never do they promote solutions involving creating wealth. Rather the solutions has been the socialistic approach of destributing existing wealth. Avoided is the fact that the great experiments in socialism (the Soviet Union, Eastern European satellites, Cuba, China, Viet Nam, Cambodia, and North Korea) have not only created poverty, but monsterous tyranies as well). More moderate approaches in Western Europe have brought not only economic stagnation, but socities facing the same kind of inequalities as America. In Europe the grminorites vary from country to country and include people from formr colonies as well as growing Muslim population.

Sources

McDougall, Walter A. Throes of Democracy: The American Civil War Era, 1829 -1877 (Harper, 2008), 787p.

Created: 5:17 PM 5/21/2008
Last updated: 5:17 PM 5/21/2008