America is the only nation in the world that is founded on a creed. That creed is set forth with dogmatic and even theological lucidity in the Declaration of Independence; perhaps the only piece of practical politics that is also theoretical politics and also great literature. It enunciates that all men are equal in their claim to justice, that governments exist to give them that justice, and that their authority is for that reason just. It certainly does condemn anarchism, and it does also by inference condemn atheism, since it clearly names the Creator as the ultimate authority from whom these equal rights are derived. Nobody expects a modern political system to proceed logically in the application of such dogmas, and in the matter of God and Government it is naturally God whose claim is taken more lightly. The point is that there is a creed, if not about divine, at least about human things.
- GK Chesterton
AmChestSoc
2 comments:
Alas, Chesterton did not live long enough to see the error in this judgment of his. A pity, because he could have royally flayed the Oligarchy that has in fact ruled this country for a century or more.
Belloc, on the other hand, saw the terrible truth about the folly of the US constitution. He famously said that although Americans don't believe it they are ruled by a monarch (his clever code word in this case for Big Business and Big Government).
Madison is noticeably lacking on a Local Chesterton society.
http://www.chesterton.org/explore-the-acs/local-societies/#WI
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