The fundamental principle of a free government
is the equal representation of a free people
– Mercy Otis Warren

INDIVIDUALS need a system of moral rules to govern their lives responsibly. For governments, such rules are called constitutions. Thomas Paine wrote,

“I draw my idea of the form of government from a principle in nature, which no art can overturn, viz, that the more simple any thing is, the less liable it is to be disord-ered, and the easier repaired when disordered.”

In this way Paine launched his discussion of the English constitutional monarchy in 1776. I’ll paraphrase him in this chapter to speak about the constitutional republic in the United States today. We’ll apply Paine’s insights to other nations in the next chapter. The principles of national government equally apply to self government, and we’ll tie these together throughout the book.

The U.S. Constitution—while inspired by Athenian democracy, the Roman republic and the Iroquois confederacy—primarily was modeled after the English Constitution. Both are noble documents, given the dark and slavish times when they arose. In a world ruled by absolute kings, the British and American constitutional democracies appeared on earth like a glorious divine rescue from despotism.

“But that it [the Constitution] is imperfect, subject to convulsions, and incapable of producing what it seems to promise, is easily demonstrated.”

The British and American social contracts are the flawed products of political compromise deals. As a result, each system of government is so exceedingly complex that the people

“may suffer [abuses] for years together without being able to discover in which part the fault lies; some will say in one [part] and some in another, and every political physician will advise a different medicine.”

If the prescription is public safety, Paine wrote, the only means for a government to guarantee total security is to turn totalitarian.

“Absolute governments (though the disgrace of human nature) have this advantage with them, that they are simple; if the people suffer, they know the head from which their suffering springs, know likewise the remedy, and are not bewildered by a variety of causes and cures.”

A solution is self evident. First, remove the master from authority. Since absolutist leaders rely on cult psychology to retain power, the second step is helping the True Believers give up groupthink. In time, those programmed to obey learn to trust their own wisdom.

Liberty is not the tradition in every land. Where representative or republican democracy has become a habitual way of life, the ongoing personal growth needed for genuine democracy is difficult. It’s hard to release a long-standing, comfortable prejudice for wanting leaders to control our lives. Responsible self rule frightens most of us.