Type of Government
The creation of the Declaration of Independence was influenced by two major factors. First, the 13 states were considered colonies of the British Empire. Second, the socio-economic forces that prevailed during that time period were different from the socio-economic forces that exist today. As a result, the Founding Fathers decided to create a small central government with limited power.
The Founding Fathers were enamored with the idea of a small central government with limited power. There are two reasons why they wanted to create this type of government. First, the abusive power of the British Crown was fresh in their minds. The Declaration of Independence described the expected consequences if America is under the rule of a powerful central government. A powerful central government means that decisions are made in favor of a few people in power.
One of the consequences of a powerful central government is to neglect the lands and the people that are located in the periphery. This reaction is normal because the people in power are oblivious to the needs of those who are far from them. In more practical terms, they cannot empathize with marginalized people simply because the powerful leaders have no idea what marginalized people are going through daily.
The Founding Fathers’ core values were expressed in the Declaration of Independence and the 10th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The Declaration of Independence clarified the core values regarding self-regulation. This core value gave birth to another important belief system that was clarified through the 10th Amendment. It paved the way for the Union, wherein several states are held together by shared values.
Past and Present
A cursory look at the present government of the United States will reveal that power has been concentrated in the hands of a few people. The President of the United States has become so powerful, therefore, there are so many things that have been neglected. The U.S. President for instance makes great promises. However, the success of the government is not based on the promises made. It is evaluated through the impact of the government on the common people.
It can be argued that 21st century Americans share the same values and beliefs as the Founding Fathers. In other words, their core values and beliefs are consistent with present-day Americans. If this is not the case, then, the Union will cease to exist. At the same time, the Bill of Rights will be rendered useless. Nevertheless, the present government system is different from the one envisioned by the Founding Fathers. It is therefore important to know why it has to evolve. The evolution of the United States government was the inevitable outcome of globalization. When the Founding Fathers wrote the Declaration of Independence they did not anticipate the following conflicts: U.S. Civil War, World War II, Vietnam War, and the Cold War. They did not envision the crisis created by the nuclear weapons program, especially when the former Soviet Union brought nuclear weapons to Cuba. During those trying times, there was a need for a strong central government.
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Founding Fathers
It can be argued that the present form of government does not honor the memory of the Founding Fathers. On one side of the argument, this new development must be condemned. Those who supported this view have justifiable reasons for their anger because the powerful central government of the 21st century is not cost-efficient. There are several problems related to inefficient bureaucracy and the failure to deal with the problems faced by minorities.
On the other side of the argument, there must be a comprehensive solution if there is a clamor to go back to the type of government that was envisioned by the Founding Fathers. The present-day Americans have to consider the consequences if there is an economic depression or if there is a powerful external threat that requires a strong central government to defeat it.
Conclusions
If given the chance to write the Declaration of Independence, the present-day Americans will write it the same way. They will echo the sentiments of the Founding Fathers. The main reason for this decision is based on the similar struggles that ordinary Americans are experiencing due to the expanded power of the Federal government. A small central government with limited power seems an ideal solution to some of the persistent problems faced by Americans today. The Founding Fathers envisioned this type of government to curtail abuses and to minimize the stifling effect of bureaucracy. However, one must consider the different socio-economic scenarios that existed in the year 1776 as compared to the socio-economic scenario that existed in the year 2015. After more than two hundred years of existence, the United States of America has to grapple with the impact of globalization. Although it is impossible to return to the idealistic form of government envisioned by the Founding Fathers, there are certain steps that present-day Americans can do in order to lessen the impact of a powerful central government.