The book explores the ways of leaders especially in the American perspective. It deeply analyzes the quest by leaders to contain people through tools that bar them from enlightenment for fear of the consequences. It exposes the leaders selfishness and desire to remain in control and wealthy while suppressing the citizens to remain in their state of poverty and weakness. It comes as no surprise that the constitution is the tool used to serve this purposes of oppression. While there is an underlying belief that the government is fair and just, the reality is contrary. The citizens too lack the will to have a confrontation with the government. This paper gives a summary of the author’s expression of selfish desire exhibited by leaders in their quest to uphold themselves at the expense of the citizens. The author’s main theme is the fear of citizens by the leaders. The authors thesis statement says ‘I shall present additional evidence about the lives of the Framers, the Constitution, and the period in which it was written which supports the contention that the Framers were profoundly anti-democratic and afraid of the people’ (Jerry Fresia Chapter 1)
The republicans see a possibility of converting men into what they call republican machines. They consider it an important thing to be done for people to perform the functions they desire them to do. They believe that by doing this they will be able to create millions of republican machines. (Jerry Fresia Chapter 1) This summarizes the author’s agenda and also basically puts all the contents of the book in one basket. It’s an indication of the misuse of the people by the leaders in a bid to bar them from enlightenment and also keep them in manipulative positions. This enables them to stay in position of power and control. Their fear for the effect of the citizens being enlightened guides them to do this. This is also well depicted when they say that men who are destitute or lack property have little acquaintance with public affairs hence are not able to make righteous judgment. They further believe that these men are always dependant on others to make decisions for them (Jerry Fresia Chapter 1). This was used by the same people who participated in the making of a constitution. Its aim was to bar the ‘ordinary’ people from vying for elective positions or even preventing them from directly electing their leaders. This is just a kind of evidence on how the constitution as used to bar citizens from making important decisions of the nation. This was a bid by these same people to maintain positions of power. Constitution thus was a regular tool used to oppress the citizens. In a further elaboration to these CarMax expressed the power relation within constitutions that is keen on protecting the power wielded by the powerful (Jerry Fresia Chapter 2) further the author elaborates the failure by the government to protect the interest of its majority population in a bid to meet another obligation of protecting the corporate business empires across the country. These same people end up participating indirect elections thereby electing those who can protect their interests. Up to date, Americans don’t elect their president directly. ((Jerry Fresia Chapter 4-5).
Their bid to keep power to themselves is further depicted in the book that refers to the barons who are powerful and surprisingly held offices during the colonial period as the same people who also signed the declaration of independence (Jerry Fresia Chapter 1). The same people who had held office are the same who signed the declarations despite their vested interests in it. It is just but a clear indication of how biased the document could be. It further depicts how people who have previously held office strive to cling to it. This is further depicted by the succession of leaders from the same families witnessed across the political divide. The poor and the weak are made to believe that they are in no position to join the quest for these higher offices while on the other hand anarchy is promoted. In addition to the sources the author has used, he could have also cited historical books which cover a vast of cases of abuses against the weak by the rich. Their fears are built on the effect of an uprising by the weak. Such is like the uprising experienced and their devastating effects illustrated in the book through by the mob tat set ablaze up o fifteen houses, mostly belonging to the wealthy barons. This is described as a war of plunder that has the general aim of leveling the difference that exists between the rich and the poor (Jerry Fresia Chapter 3) this depicts the foundations of the fear that these wealthy individuals harbor. They counter these by spreading propaganda to keep the citizens in check. Such are the foundations of their fears. And need to spread propaganda and keep the citizens calm and in darkness. Further, the book illustrates how the development of the constitution reflects the dawn of a new and advanced system of monarchy that would indeed keep the poor poorer and the rich richer(Jerry Fresia Chapter 3). Ultimately the book also illustrates the power wielded by the poor through their numbers and the threat that they present to the few rich if only they could get the enlightenment they deserve. (Jerry Fresia Chapter 6)
In conclusion, it’s important to note that the author’s depictions in this document are true. Contrary to the circulated beliefs that the constitution-writing process gets its final writings from the public, this has never been true. The final authority regarding constitutional writings has always been put on the governance bodies like parliaments or senates. These bodies always harbor the same individuals who are keen on protecting themselves against the possible rise of the poor to challenge their authority. They have over time vested final authority to themselves while claiming the contrary. The book also highlights a very important aspect of trying to enlighten the public against the deceit and malice of leaders. It’s an important book that highlights the endeavor of the rich and powerful to keep the poor weak and vulnerable to their treachery and malice. The book has definitely widened my view of history to cover the underlying aspects of things that pass out as procedural yet have underlying intentions.
Works Cited
Fresia, J. Toward an American Revolution. Boston: South End Press, 1988.