Welcome to 1776

I believe in nations like I believe in families. The alternative to nations is not good, just as the alternative to families is not good. 

But how do we avoid succumbing to tyranny? All good and true statements can become hardened into mere syllables of repetition that can be used to enslave. This was proven by Derrrida and others.

How do we not go too far, towards something that is even good, such that the voices of enthusiasm are not the ones which came out of an understanding from reason, but from reflexive passion, that is frigthtening, since it comes from the unvarnished masses. We see in the masses our lower instincts, and know that if they were to gain the upper hand, it mean the end of all order.

But what you see in the masses is merely a reflection of what is in you. The masses you imagine are simply you, yourself, the mirror deep inside you, but multiplied by a hundred million, ten to the power of five.

Are the masses ugly to you? Of course they are. But forgive yourself. We are all fallen souls. Can we agree on that---equally distant from God, and equally in need of repentance to achieve salvation? Nothing you do gives you a head start from that point. 

If so, we can begin to talk about a philosophy of government, and a practical system of putting it into motion in the real world, with some hope of its longterm survival and stability, and without incurring so many of the negatives of the past?

The implementation will be so incredibly imperfect. By later ages it will seem barbaric and heartless. Does that make you want to give up on the whole project?

If not, if you can accept that ghastly imperfection, we can begin to talk about practicalities. We went down this road before. It was a long time ago.