Obama needs a history lesson

fulcanelli

Another example of Obama's lack of understanding, awareness, and general knowledge.

Showboating taken to new political levels, and that's saying something!

When will politicians realise that all we really want is to be left alone to lead our lives without the constant threat of meddling, control, and stifling of creativity engendered by large, top-down governments.

An end to all this liberal minded nonsense!

John

The French revolution, which purported to be inspired by the American one (but wasn't), was the blueprint for the Communist revolution and for most totalitarian revolutions since.

William

What about Locke, "America's Philosopher"? The US Constitution borrows heavily from his Two Treatises. I think you're being a bit unfair on Obama.

Nick Kaplan

Whilst the thinkers of the Scottish enlightenment must not be down played the founding fathers were also influenced by English philosophers, particular John Locke whose fundamental rights of “life, Liberty and Property” formed the basis of the American call for protection of “life, Liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”

Charles

Not sure how one squares this Scottish Enlightenment business with the propensity for Scottish involvement in slavery. Or am I nitpicking?

Will Jones

Except Smith's Wealth of Nations was published in 1776, a little late to be influencing the founding institutions of the 13 states or even the original federal constitution. Admittedly the constitution was rewritten in 1789, but it was based squarely on principles long-established in the states. Many of which derived from those espoused by English philosophers such as John Locke. That Americans believed in small government is due less to 18th century economists such as Smith and more, as Tocqueville acutely observed, to a pervasive sense of what democracy requires – maximum devolution of power coupled with the empowering of the individual within the democratic community.

Hysteria

hmm - just listened to the doorstep comments.

"the troops here in Great Britain have paid a heavy price" - that would be the troops in Iraq and Afghanhistan then? (Although given the treatment of our wounded soldiers maybe he was right !)

And "I think the American public are greatful" - Is that a Freudian slip? Shouldn't he be greatful? Or if that is presumptious, maybe "We are greatful" or just "the American people are greatful"

This, plus his refusal to meet his own wounded troops in Germany tells us something of his views on the military I think.

Craig Strachan

Yes, although I believe Frances Hutcheson was Irish by birth, and the principles and practices of Presbyterianism were probably at least as influential on pre-Revolutionay America as were the ideas of the Enlightenment.

Fraser Nelson

William & Nick, you are right about Locke - it was just the "English" bit that irked me. I wouldn't have minded if he said "British tradition". Or "Anglo-Scottish Englightenment" as some American scholars say. After all it was from Great Britain, not England, that America won her independence.

ben

America has learched from the left to the right without tipping over. But i'm afraid the boat is about to go down.

Tuppy

Come now. "Essentially, the Scots Enlightenment stood for individual liberty and small government."

And the English never stood for this before - and after - the North British Enlightenment? These were never the uppermost facts of our national character?

Caza

The term British and English are interchangeable for Americans. Don't be so sensitive!

Clive

Madison's concerns about the inherent factionalism of human nature and the some of the rationale behind his solution probably originated from Hobbes - particularly when he compares people to particles whose collisions cause disagreement and make up political discourse.

Locke's repudiation of the hereditary monarchy and the investment of all power in the king were also important.

TomTom

Mandeville's Fable of The Bees (1705) was probably more influential than Adam Smith....after all Smith was the economic tradition espoused by Karl Marx with Labour Theory of Value.

Probably Locke and Mandeville and 1688 had more influence on American Colonies than Adam Smith

John

"his refusal to meet his own wounded troops in Germany tells us something of his views on the military I think."

No, it tells us that the man is a little shit.

TGF UKIP

What a fascinating and illuminating post and series of comments.

All, unfortunately, likely to be lost on Mr Obama who really is one Big Government Democrat.

But let's just remember he ain't won yet. In fact he isn't even the nominee until 29th August - plenty of time for those blank pages to be filled in.

Fergus Pickering

Fraser, I'm onto you Scotch. I'm half one myself. Doctor Johnson had you taped with that High Road to England gag. And Thomas Hardy with Michael Farfrae in 'The Mayor of Casterbridge'. Obama can't tell the difference but then NEITHER CAN ANYONE ELSE, except the Scotch, that is.

Clive

Everything was invented in Scotland.

Marian C

"Barack Obama should learn a little more history before his next visit – history about America, that is, not Britain"

Don't me laugh, this is the idiot who doesn't even know how many states his own country has!!!

The man is just a prize prat.

The Happy Carbon Footprint

Marian C -Agreed. At one point Obama said he had visited "all 57 states". Where the hell did that come from? He didn't mistakenly say "57" instead of "47" because there aren't 47 states, either.

Then, on another day, he said he had visited "all 48 states plus Alaska and Hawaii."

Given that Alaska and Hawaii were both admitted to statehood several years before he was born, and that he was actually born in Hawaii, this is grotesque.

John, above, on Obama's last minute cancellation of a planned visit to an American hospital in France for wounded American troops, writes: "No, it tells us that the man is a little shit."

Yes. I would agree with that. His people are grabby wide boys, but ignorant. They hadn't even checked with the American military in DC to see what the rules were. Then at the last minute before the visit, Obama found out he wouldn't be allowed to take a media entourage into the hospital with him(duh) and would not be able to bring in his own photographers.

So dumped the visit. A spokesman for the hospital said, "We don't know why he cancelled." (Well, I do.) "We were all ready for him." So brave soldiers were to be used as props to make that creepy little fellow look good.

What a nasty, greedy, glory-seeking man this is. President Bush and Laura have made many private visits (unannounced to the media) to visit wounded American troops with no photographers and no publicity. John McCain has also made many visits to troop hospitals, unannounced.

Obama doesn't have what it takes. He's a tiny, greedy, grabby little man. But for him, dumping the soldiers was no biggie because the military traditionally votes Republican. So nothing lost.

THX1138

TGF- While slating Fraser on this post Oliver Kamm has singled you out for a special rogering.

http://oliverkamm.typepad.com/blog/2008/07/unnatural-history-lesson.html

Such fame I only get Verity having a go at me.