Is Republican Virtue Still Relevant in Modern American Society?

[LordofDirT]

Hey,

I have a test on the 29th, and on the take-home essay the professor asks a question.

"Republican virtue was a basic idea of the American Revolution. Does such a thing as "republican virtue" exists anymore in American society?"

I guess I'm a little confused about the term republican virtue. Is this a set of ideas held by the enlightenment philosophers, such as adam smith and John Locke, or is a certain way to live your life. Like staying educated about the topics voted for, or consent of the governed, taxation without representation?

Just confused :/

 

[LordofDirT]

So, I guess everyone else is just as confused as I am.

 

[mgb_phys]

When in office they certainly don't forget their friends, but I can't think of many other republican virtues!

 

[Evo]

Try this.

http://colonial-america.suite101.com/article.cfm/colonial_republican_values

http://books.google.com/books?id=1O...&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=7&ct=result
go to the tab "preview this book" if you don't see it.

http://www.kevincmurphy.com/RepublicanTavern3.html

 

[LordofDirT]

Ugh, I wish I didn't space out when he explained this.

 

[LordofDirT]

Thanks Evo, that should give me something to work from.

 

[SpecificHeat]

Hey,

I have a test on the 29th, and on the take-home essay the professor asks a question.

"Republican virtue was a basic idea of the American Revolution. Does such a thing as "republican virtue" exists (sic) anymore in American society?"

I guess I'm a little confused about the term republican virtue. Is this a set of ideas held by the enlightenment philosophers, such as adam smith (sic) and John Locke, or is a certain way to live your life. Like staying educated about the topics voted for, or consent of the governed, taxation without representation?

Just confused :/

You're taking the class and you aren't familiar with the definition of a critical term?

:::"Hey, professor, I'm unclear as to what oxygen means. Can you help me out?":::

republican virtue: liberty, self-determination, independence, freedom of religion and speech

See also Bill of Rights.

Contrast these with democrat virtues (roughly in order):

the right to kill any unborn baby, any time, for any reason
the right to be offended, continuously, while offending others the more
the right to be housed, fed, clothed, and medicated, at government expense and caveat
the right to make outlandish, misleading, dishonest statements, and then defend them by claiming "the other side does it"
the right to claim "compassion" while promoting abortion and creeping socialism, the most destructive political train wreck in 200 years

See "Who Really Cares" by Arthur C Brooks, an outstanding and enlightening read, sure to be despised by Democrats, who do not come out well.

 

[Evo]

Republican Virtues then, in your opinion, are "the right to dictate to everyone else how they should live based on your personal beliefs". Yeah, sounds perfect.

 

[phoenixy]

I think the new-age Republican virtue is hypocrisy and fundamentalism?

Actually, now days the Republican party is an uneasy alliance between the corporate (Romney), the Evangelical/creationist (Huckabee), the libertarian/constructionist (Paul), and the hawks/neo-con (Giuliani), the reformist (McCain), and the Palpatine (Cheney). The primary foreign policy debate between Paul and Giuliani is an example that many virtues are not universally agreed upon.

 

[LordofDirT]

You're taking the class and you aren't familiar with the definition of a critical term?

Thats why I'm taking the class, to learn. And republican virtue has nothing to do with political parties, it has to do with the type of government aka a republic, and how people should act within that republic to ensure it maintains a government for the people, by the people.

He actually never mentioned this term in class, what the teacher did mention was political virtue. Hence the confusion.

 

[Amp1]

Political virtue is an oxymoron. However, "liberty, self-determination, independence, freedom of religion and speech" - I would add the common defence and the larger population providing a safety net for those less able to produce, the same reason clans/villages started to safeguard the elderly and young from external forces. It also applies as democractic virtues too.