Lately, I've noticed that our society doesn't require very much responsibility from individuals, government officials, or corporations. The Blame Game seems to be popular. Why is that? What ever happened to accountability? What happened to making decisions and dealing with the consequences of those decisions?
At one point in time, America was called a "Republic", not a "Democracy". The idea behind forming the Republic of the United states of America was a radical one. The alternative, a Monarchy, was a less desired type of governance to the founding fathers of America. Centralized government in England controlled many aspects of individuals' lives. Behind that government were the banks, controlling how currency was distributed. The controlls forced the government of England into a type of taxation that left its citizens poor. Ideas like property ownership, the right to speak out against the government, the right to do business privately, without over-regulation, weren't allowed in the Monarchy of England.
I titled this post "Liberty in Our Personal Lives". How do the above differences between "Republic" and "Democracy" affect personal liberty? For one, when the collective individuals of a society allow the majority to decide "what is best" for everyone, the rights of the individual are compromised. A Republic operates differently. Each state participates as an individual entity united with other states to form a country that allows its citizens the freedom of individual choices. Laws and rules are formed which are less intrusive to the natural rights of the citizenry. Protections from criminal elements are put into place and, conversely, protections from over-reach of government powers are understood.
Personal liberty is something every human being is born with. It may be controlled or infringed upon simply because of the country a person is born into. Along with "inborn liberty" is personal responsibility. We have to accept the consequences of our decisions and actions. We are accountable for what we say, what we do, and how those around us are effected by those words and actions. Personal liberty is not "self-interest", "selfishness", or "self-centeredness", it is a way of conducting one's self in a mature manner. You, as an individual, are allowed the right to pursue your life without interference from me, or from the government. Personal liberty doesn't mean that You, or I, can do what ever we want, irregardless of the consequences. If You, or I, inflict harm on others, we are violating others rights. We cannot blame others, as an individual, or as a society, or as "the government", for things happening simply because it is easier to.
Personal liberty and personal responsibility are synonanimous. You cannot have one without the other. Instead, what I have observed, is a majority of citizens in America whinning about their own unwise or foolish decisions and situations, yet go about expecting the government to fix it. The government whines about its own self-created mess, and passes off responsiblity to the tax payers. Corporations whine about unfair trade advantages, yet take no responsibility for the CEO's and board of directors decisions when the economy takes a nose-dive and consumers, strapped with ever-increasing taxes, cannot spend money on goods made in other countries. No one accepts the "blame". Everyone points to another, yet no one looks at the individual decisions made which culminates into the mess.
It's interesting to note that not that long ago, the tale of George Washington and the chopping down of a cherry tree was used as a symbolizing story of admitting behaviour, of taking responsibility for actions. The story, whether ficticious or not, wasn't about cutting down a cherry tree. It was about learning that we all need to admit that we are, in fact, part of the problem, and not "blame" others for our choices.
