In my effort to further understand where America is and where it is going I’ve been reading Paul A. Rahe’ “Soft Despotism – Democracy’s Drift”. I’m finding it a tough read so far but worth it. Below is Part 1 of an interview that Peter Robinson did with Paul Rahe for the “Uncommon Knowledge” program. Below is the video for part 1 and my thoughts are below.

After talking about health care for a bit he talks about Montesquieu who saw governance in terms of three models:

Monarchies – Are ruled by Kings but are typically limited in power, usually by the nobility. They are driven my honor.
Despotisms – Are ruled by despots who wield unlimited power and are driven by  terror
Republics – Equality is assumed. Ruled by citizen legislators and driven by virtue.

Montesquieu is quite taken with the English method of governance, which he calls “The Beautiful System”. He sees it as being beautiful as it contains a class of people, english merchants, whose well being is not dependent on the governing class. When the government becomes corrupt it is possible for this class to “throw the bums out”, if you will.

Tocqueville, writing 100 years later, sees the same virtuous system taking root in the young American Republic. However he is observing America in the aftermath of the French Revolution which he sees as a watershed. Equality is now firmly operating as a principle in America. Given this Tocqueville sees little chance of a true, authoritarian Despotism taking hold here. As this is the case what problems might occur?

This is where the idea of “Soft Despotism” comes in. In America it is impossible for a despot to gain power through terror, as was traditionally done. However it is possible for a despot to gain power through offering to help people. Slowly, slyly, overtime the despot (which will not be a single person, but a governing class) can gain power. The offers of help always come with strings attached.

The idea of virtue being a defining yet difficult characteristic to achieve aspect of Republics is an idea echoed in Codevilla’s “Character of Nations”. Virtue is the idea that you are willing to sacrifice your own personal gain for the good of the Republic. Translated to the real world this means that you do not join the governing class to get rich or even as a vocation. You do it out of a sense of obligation to serve your country. In most countries, to one degree or another, this is not the case. Wealth is not gained by producing, but by controlling other men. As soft despotism seeps into the bones of the body politic more and more people seek to use the power of government to get ahead. Not only does this imperil the prosperity of the country but it will slowly destroy the characteristic of virtue which is necessary to sustain the republic. The fact that America has acquired a permanent governing class (see senators and congressmen, but also the bureaucracy, who make those roles their lives) tells me that America’s slide to soft despotism is already quite acute.

On another note. Paul Rahe has written a bit about the Obama administration at PowerLine. Check it out here:

http://ow.ly/IGT9

Chapter 6 of Angelo Codevilla’s “The Character Of Nations” is entitled Civility. By “Civility” he doesn’t mean politeness.  Rather he discusses what qualities it takes to be a citizen and what kinds of civic qualities different kinds of regimes encourage.

To Codevilla, a civil society made up of citizens is one in which the rulers are bound by the same rules as the ruled. This is why taking an oath of office is so symbolically important in western countries. When a ruler is sworn in he is subjecting himself or herself to a greater power. Citizens must have clearly defined rights which the rulers must respect. The most important of these is property rights, meaning that you have a right to your own life, the fruits of your own labour and that these cannot be arbitrarily taken from you. People who enjoy such liberties have a long term stake in society and tend to take a propriety interest in their surroundings. These reinforce the habits of virtue and freedom which support the rule of law and are the bulwark of civil society. Citizenship means the possibility of ruling as well as being ruled. It means being able to participate in decisions both large and small that may affect your own life.

To Codevilla true citizenship is largely a pretense in the modern world. Rather than being citizens, most people are content to be subjects. They are happy to live their lives as consumers of government services. Merely being able to vote in different rulers who promise to dispense the goodies is not an act of citizenship.

Codevilla mentions de Tocqueville’s “Democracy in America“. De Tocqueville wrote this book in an effort to contrast the faux citizenship engendered by the French Revolution vs the real thing in America. The question is I suppose is if America is remaining true to it’s roots of true citizenship or is it falling for the siren’s call of the subject. Something to think about.