America heralds the banner of innovation because of the country's aptitude for creativity. Individual creativity is an essential part of the American spirit and is embodied in our country's founding documents. A government produces the most from its citizens when it allows each of them to define and pursue their own success. Using a system of limited regulation, a government should be one that allows for society to enhance its prospects by working up freely from below, instead of being determined from the top.
Shortcomings in individual ability to meet standards of living due to unfortunate circumstance are alleviated by citizen concern and a desire for philanthropy. Care for the fellow man should consist of action encouraged through tax incentives, not entitlement demanded through taxation.
America thrives because our citizens are encouraged to think, create and be successful.
While our overall education ranking may not be the highest in the world, the gross domestic product of our ideas trumps all else. To the global table, we bring a captivating movie industry, highly desired brands and products, and the most revolutionary uses of the Internet.
All of this innovative success is complemented by a government designed to allow people to pursue life at their behest, without the hindrance of oppressive authoritarian oversight. Inherent in our very Declaration of Independence is the idea that our citizens deserve the ability to pursue greatness.
In the aristocratic society of the past, monarchs and dictators siphoned off the cream of productivity for the ruling class, leaving the peasants with a subsistent existence.
America, avant-garde to establish the concept, has proved throughout its relatively short and highly successful history that independent creativity, and its pursuit, is an inalienable right. The capacities to problem solve and pursue higher thought and productivity is an undeniable natural trait of human beings. Separating mankind from the animal kingdom, our capacity for creative thinking allows us to fulfill the basic primitive needs of life that otherwise consume every bit of energy and focus of mere animals.
Historically, those societies who have tried to remove independent thought from its citizens have failed consistently. Consider large failed regimes, such as communist Russia, and monarchies, such as pre-revolutionary France (and the first attempt at a revolutionary France). They held a guiding principle that innovation and creativity is to come from the ruling few and not from the masses, which were to be either forcefully equalized (as in Russia's case) or repetitively stifled (as in France's). Broaden the scope to most large societies throughout history and compare the successes of the ones with innovative citizenry to the ones with ensnared, government-dependent masses.
We are to be grateful that we live in a society that was founded upon the individual's ability to succeed, not the government's ability to provide. America's success is a tribute to its freedom.
In the past 100 years, Americans have seen an increasing trend; one that is shifting away from citizens providing for themselves, to instead making them increasingly dependent on government. We find ourselves willing to become less reliant on our own efforts and creativity to succeed. What happens when we fully allow the government to become the source of our livelihood and creativity?
Bryan Griffin is first-year law student.
