For over 5000 years there have been many civilized colonies of human beings ranging from widespread and powerful empires to small villages. The one that has a very different beginning from the rest is the United States. From it has come the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution with its Bill of Rights. These inspired documents, supported by the actions of our Founding Fathers and other great statesmen, have secured the rights and freedoms of each individual to such an extent that in the past 200 years we have experienced a mighty leap in technical, political and economic achievement.
These achievements have largely been a result of the free-market economy which has existed to a great extent during the lifetime of this country. As a nation we are far more prosperous when allowed our liberty; when the Invisible Hand is allowed to run its course.
…every individual necessarily labours to render the annual revenue of the society as great as he can. He generally, indeed, neither intends to promote the public interest, nor knows how much he is promoting it. By preferring the support of domestic to that of foreign industry, he intends only his own security; and by directing that industry in such a manner as its produce may be of the greatest value, he intends only his own gain, and he is in this, as in many other cases, led by an invisible hand to promote an end which was no part of his intention. Nor is it always the worse for the society that it was no part of it. By pursuing his own interest he frequently promotes that of the society more effectually than when he really intends to promote it. I have never known much good done by those who affected to trade for the public good. [Adam Smith, "An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations" 1776]
Unfortunately there are some who believe they know what’s best for the rest of mankind and they go about trying to regulate the economy and the lives of others. If we are not educated and alert to these threats against our freedom we will face the same destructive fate as many societies before. Fortunately there are many great statesmen that understood the principles of liberty and have made that knowledge available to us.
In his book, The Five Thousand Year Leap
, W. Cleon Skousen presents 28 great principles that are changing the world. Dr. Skousen spent many years researching the Founding Fathers and discovered that their teachings could be formulated into 28 basic principles.
These principles cover topics such as Natural Law, Morality, the Role of Religion, God, Man’s Unalienable Rights, Sovereignty, Republican form of Government, Property Rights, Free-Market Economics, a Written Constitution, Limited Government, Avoid Entangling Alliances, and more.
I recommend this book to anyone who would like to learn about the basic principles of the Founding Fathers.
The freedom enjoyed because of the application of these principles is what has made it possible for so many millions of people to prosper in business today.
Tags:
constitution,
Founding Fathers,
free-market,
freedom,
invisible hand,
liberty,
principles