Donald Conkey’s e-Newsletter - Volume 1 - No. 11 - January 1, 2003

"Constitutional Observations"©

Question # 1: How did America develop into the prosperous nation it is, becoming the engine that continues to drive the world’s economic growth —while still drawing millions to its shores in search of economic prosperity?

Answer: The seeds for "The American Way of Life — Prosperity Economics" were sown in England by the desire to colonize the new found America and become ‘rich.’ England’s King James issued a charter in 1606 that authorized English investors to establish settlements in America between the 34^th and 45^th latitude — between what is now Wilmington, N. C. up to Canada, and inland up to 100 miles. James extended the "inland limits" from 100 miles to "sea to sea" in 1610. These investors established the London Company in 1607 and sent colonists to Jamestown as a business venture. The Jamestown charter was first run as a system of "voluntary" communism. It failed. But out of that failure came the first seeds of free-market capitalism.

In early 1776 Adam Smith published his famous book the "Wealth of Nations," a book that expounded a "free-market" system of economics. It was quickly accepted by the colonists, especially by the Founding Fathers. On July 4 the Declaration of Independence was signed — with America declaring its independence from England, and the king. The Revolutionary War was fought and won at Yorktown. But internal strife prevailed, almost to the point of anarchy. The Articles of Confederation were not sufficient. On May 17, 1787 a Constitutional Convention assembled. In 4 months a totally new Constitution had been written and was signed, on September 17, 1787. The new Constitution provided the first stability the new states had. It, along with the principles espoused by Adam Smith’s Wealth of Nations provided a rich seed bed for America’s future economic prosperity seeds to take root in. America became the first nation to practice Smith’s free-market principles: the freedom to TRY; the freedom to BUY; the freedom to SELL; and the freedom to FAIL. Smith’s free-market system operating in America—a nation with less than 6 percent of the earth’s population—produces nearly half of the world’s goods and services and has made possible the greatest technological advances the world has ever known.

The free-market economy requires a tiered work force to accommodate man’s drive and ambitions. This tiered work force includes: 1. "The Enterprisers — the self motivated, highly adventurous, self confident, and aggressive entrepreneurs; 2. "The Sales and Service People— the more conservative but hard workers who serve in many of the difficult and tedious jobs essential to any economy;" and 3. The "Physical Labor Group— those individuals willing to live by the sweat of their brow." All three groups are necessary in every strong economic society. In America many begin in the "Physical Labor Group" but work themselves up, by education and hard work, to the Sales and Service Group, some even become Entrepreneurs.

Question # 2: What are the 16 Political and Economic Rights that protect the dignity and freedom of each individual?

Answer: 1. Right to worship God in one’s own way; 2. Right to free speech and press; 3. Right to peaceable assemble; 4. Right to privacy in our homes; 5. Right of habeas corpus - no excessive bail; 6. Right to trial by jury - innocent until proved guilty; 7. Right to move about freely at home and abroad; 8. Right to own private property; 9. Right to free elections and personal secret ballot; 10. Right to work in callings and localities of our choice; 11. Right to bargain with our employers and employees; 12. Right to go into business, compete, make a profit; 13. Right to bargain for goods and services in a free market; 14. Right to contract about our affairs; 15. Right to the service of government as a protector and referee; 16. Right to freedom from arbitrary government regulation and control. These political and economic rights are built upon the foundations of a Constitutional Government designed to serve the people, underpinned with a "Fundamental Belief in God."

A Meaningful Quote: From Samuel Adams we read: "The utopian schemes of leveling [redistribution of the wealth] and a community of goods [central ownership of all means of production and distribution] are as visionary and impracticable as those which vest all property in the Crown. [These ideas] are arbitrary, despotic, and, in our government, unconstitutional." Well said.

Did you know? That regardless of the name by which economic freedom is called, if people are allowed economic freedom it will tend to gradually open up the channels for political freedom. This is why the message of freedom — both economic and political — should become America’s greatest export.