Democracy is on the tips of every freedom fighter’s tongues in Egypt as of late. Egyptians crying for relief from oppression of a diabolic dictatorship are turning to America to help.
Our generation has much to learn from the works of our Founding Fathers. America is still a young country. Our nation hasn’t seen her 300th birthday. Yet we are charged with leading the free world and perpetuating democracy.
In reading Jefferson’s “Memoir, Correspondence And Miscellanies” we see the United States was the first country to proclaim itself a democratic nation. Only a few years after our Revolution ended, America then funded the French militants in their revolution.
The book opens with Jefferson’s letters. He is writing from Paris to other Founding Fathers in America regarding the beginnings of the French Revolution in 1789. John Jay, James Madison, and the like were blessed with news from Jefferson. Jefferson wrote of the lack of bread in Paris, the flight of the aristocracy, and the demise of the French National Assembly.
TJ was also a bad ass because he played both sides of the field. He appealed to the ruling monarchy as a visiting American emissary while the whole time he arranged to fund the French militias who served with American forces during our war against England.
At this point in history, Jefferson is witnessing the brink of revolutionary war, much like what he recently witnessed in his own country. Jefferson had the government of Holland (i.e. the affluent banks in Amsterdam) give 30 MILLION francs to the uprising French masses. And remember, we’re talking about 30 Million in currency in 1789. Imagine how much that would be today. Plus it’s Amesterdam’s funds which means it either came from:
a) Wooden shoes
b) Tulips
c) Dike building
d) Weed
E.g. we can presume that Jefferson (who was known to enjoy his herbal refreshment) arranged for the banks of Amsterdam to fund the French revolution!
Over the coming weeks as I read this book I’m going to share Jefferson’s musings with you, dear reader. We have much to learn from Jefferson’s writing. His words are still pertinent to our nation’s diplomatic and economic role in fostering democracy in other nations.
Much like we’re currently seeing in Egypt, the French people have an army independent of the ruling authority of Louis XVI. Jefferson writes:
“Though they have gone astonishing lengths, they are not yet thus far. It is probable, therefore, that not knowing how to use the military as a civil weapon they will do too much or too little with it.”
Who is financially backing the revolution in Egypt? My fear is funding comes from two sides not only America and other democratic powers in the name of Freedom but also from Iran and other extremist powers focused on ruling terror instead of free will.
The people of Egypt, like the poor masses in Paris in the 18th century, are close to having military might to overthrow Mubarak. I don’t know much about foreign affairs. But I do know about learning from the past especially in written history from our nations’ founders.
As American people, we need to continue to be cognoscente of the upheaval in Egypt. The reconstruction of the Egyptian nation will change the game of American diplomacy in the Middle East. And, like Jefferson and his brethren, America can’t afford to fund another country’s revolution. And this time we certainly can’t do it with drug money.
It's amazing that Benjamin Franklin talked the monarchy of France into funding our revolution (we would have been creamed without French assistance), then America used the results of that "win" to take out the French monarchy. A good decades work! :)
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