World Win
The Recipe for Winning The Future and Capturing the Sputnik Moment
We are continuing with the steam-lating discussion on President Obama’s 2011 State of the Union Address where he talked about America or the world Winning the Future. Obama used history to inspire us to look into the future – mentioning the Sputnik era, that was the time we as human beings broke through our limited sight through technological revolutions and innovations into space. The reference to history provides an inspiration for winning the future.
In the last article in this discussion series, we talked about Thomas Jefferson who captured the moment or the spirit of the evolving America – the spirit of the pursuit of individual happiness with little government restrictions. Thomas Jefferson felt that man (that was the word used) needs to be freed from his chains in order to move to perfection.
On the opposing side of Jefferson there was Alexander Hamilton who felt that even the wisest and strongest bars could not keep man from making a damn fool of himself and also making his neighbors miserable as well.
Thomas Jefferson and his followers when they looked into the future for America (seeking to win it) they saw the corruption of power. They believed that if man was saved from tyranny he will do very well for himself and his family. So Jefferson was for a government that will do as little as possible in the life of the individual American.
His critic, Alexander Hamilton and his followers when they looked into the future they feared the corruption of human nature. They believed that if man was saved from his innate corrupt nature there was a very great future for American society. Naturally Hamilton and his followers were for an active interfering government that would make things happen the way they should happen – a government that will make individual Americans behave.
Looking at America throughout history up to even today both camps had won. America has always preserved this combination of hard headed practice on the lines of Hamilton and the very idealistic theory on the lines of Jefferson.
If you look at the current system of government today you see these two opposing ideologies mixed in the Obama Administration – where we saw Barack Obama ascending into presidential power in the name of change and little government but on the other hand we see him with the heavy handedness of his efforts in stimulating the economy through the stimulus packages and seeking to influence better health for all Americans through what has now become to be known as Obama Care.
So in looking into the future, in winning the future these American traditions of clash and mix of ideas is necessary and truly indeed we are on the right track at least for now. President Obama said it well in the State of the Union Address: “We are part of the American family. We believe that in a country where every race and faith and point of view can be found, we are still bound together as one people; that we share common hopes and a common creed”.
About the Author
Dr Chris Kanyane has Ph.D (History) obtained from Central Western University, Arlington, Texas (US). He is the author of two historical biographical books; Turfloop and Eugen Weber Greatest Historian Of Our Times: Lessons of Greatness To The Future.
Dr Chris Kanyane will work long and hard in helping you to dig your life story out of your spiritual reservoir with a mixture of encouragement and research – for more details contactwww.globalresearchcentre.org