Has Jeffersonian America Run Its Course?

Yes, most likely!

1. What is Jeffersonian America, the original version?

The image below highlights Thomas Jefferson’s guiding principle of governance.

There is still no definition of “Jeffersonian America” in Wikipedia yet.  So let me succinctly define it as follows:

• Government: A loose union with a small and limited Federal government, leaving the people, including state and local governments, alone (i.e., self-governing).
• Economy: A strong economy with agriculture.
• Military: No standing army, but armed militia groups all over the country, thus the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
• Church and state: Separated.

2. Why is America Jeffersonian?

Among all the Founding Fathers, Thomas Jefferson was by far the most influential. Three key reasons:

• He was the principal author of the Declaration of Independence (July 4, 1776).
• Jefferson served as the third American President (1801–1809).
• He was the mentor of James Madison, the fourth American President (1809–1817) and the principal author of the U.S. Constitution.

As a result, America has been regarded mostly Jeffersonian so far. Two notes:

• Alexander Hamilton had a very different, and most likely more enduring, vision for America than Jefferson did. For more, read History 2.0 – China’s Comeback vs. America’s Decline.
• Some have argued that “We live, without question, in Hamilton’s America” (Whose Vision of America Won Out – Hamilton’s or Jefferson’s?) for one key reason: Jefferson, especially in his territorial expansions, made full use of the solid financial foundation laid by Hamilton.

3. What is Jeffersonian America today?

Here is the reality against Jeffersonian America, the original version:

• Government: The union remains loose, but with a bloated Federal government that does not even work, while accumulating a huge national debt.
• Economy: It has actually developed more along Hamilton’s vision (i.e., industrial and financial) than Jefferson’s (i.e., agricultural).
• Military: America has a huge standing army that constantly requires enemies to justify its existence (America’s Evil Military Industrial Complex). What about armed citizens? Read ‘They are preparing for war’: An expert on civil wars discusses where political extremists are taking this country.
• Church and state: They are becoming more and more mixed. Here is a 2020 news story: The Latest: At RNC, nun lauds Trump for being anti-abortion.

What a nightmare for Thomas Jefferson!

4. Discussion

Jeffersonian America has gone “wrong” for two main reasons:

• Jeffersonian America is fundamentally flawed!
• “We the People” have failed to adapt!

Let me elaborate on each …

4.1 Jeffersonian America is fundamentally flawed!

Simply put, Jeffersonian America was designed to be heavily relying on America’s abundance in natural resources (aka “the country of nature”), without much governance.

There is a limit to it, and we are reaching that limit, as highlighted by the image below.

In other words, over the past 200 years, America has become ungovernable from practically governance-less. As a result, America is a total contradiction today as follows:

• America is a “great” country without a working government.
• America is a big empire without an emperor.

For more, read What is America, anyway?

4.2 “We the People” have failed to adapt!

The image below highlights Thomas Jefferson’s view of democracy.

Bottom line: The word “democracy” is not in the U.S. Constitution!

Unfortunately, over the past 200 years, America has evolved from “less than half democracy” to “full democracy” (one person, one vote), which is not only intellectually lazy but also disastrous! For more, read What is America, anyway?

5. More discussion

At the core of Jeffersonian America lies a “weak” Federal government, incapable of managing a large country, let alone an empire, as America is today. The image below highlights American history as a history of wars.

The image below highlights a fundamental American contradiction today.

Below is my strong argument.

Additionally, a weak government inevitably leads to the rise of religion, as is the case throughout world history.

6. Still more discussion

The image below highlights my projection of the future.

Why 2040?

Two main reasons:

• America may self-implode by then (‘They are preparing for war’: An expert on civil wars discusses where political extremists are taking this country).
• That is when China will surely surpass America in GDP. Furthermore, the Chinese RMB will become a strong alternative to the U.S. dollar as a major reserve currency, thus ending the Petrodollar (Saudi Arabia, UAE Leaders Reportedly Decline Calls With Biden Amid Ukraine Crisis).

7. Closing

Jeffersonian America has run its course, most likely!

In other words, the “country of nature” was great for a while. It will inevitably collapse for the lack of governance, which is key for any country built to last if you know anything about Confucius.

America, reform our failing political system, as I have suggested (History 2.0 – China’s Comeback vs. America’s Decline), or become a fiddle, second to China!