The principles of liberty are universal, and can be applied in any culture, system, or region. That is the definition of a principle - an idea based on natural law, transcendent of culture, philosophy, time, and location. Governments that promote liberty are based on principles, and oppressive governments are based on faulty premises resulting from a lack of principles.
The founding fathers of America based their government on timeless pillars: the principle that rights come from God (and not government), personal and corporate responsibility, the equality of opportunity (not the equality of outcome), and the principle of indivisible liberty and justice for all.
Our nation is based on the premise that liberty will be sustained if the people work to preserve it. But since the founding of America, its leaders and citizens have strayed from thinking on principle, and been distracted instead by the issues of the day. Many have forgotten that issues come and go, but principles stay the same. In fact, many issues could be easily resolved if individuals thought from principle, and governments operated from principle.
Do the people of America respect and remember the pillars upon which America is founded? Answer this: Do we accept responsibility for our personal and corporate actions? Do we believe that our rights come from God? Do we believe in absolute truth? Do we believe in liberty? These vital words and ideas in our collective history have been forgotten, and it is time that people be reawakened to the power and possibilities of the principles of liberty.
Just imagine if, throughout history, governments operated on principle. Slavery would have been immediately outlawed because of the principle that all are equal. Torture would not be an issue, because of the principle that all humans should be treated with dignity. Abortion would never be sanctioned because of the principle that human life is protected. Welfare programs would not be needed. Communities would be united, and foreign entanglements avoided.
Think of principals as fence posts. They provide the stability, the anchor, and the reference point for the fencing that goes in between them, and they determine the direction of the fence itself. Principles set the course of a nation, and they are the pillars on which everything else is hung. Principles carry a nation. Without them, there is no direction, no support, and no stability. What goes in between the posts will wear out or break, but the posts will remain firmly anchored.
A government's ability to think from principle is dependent on its people's ability to do the same. A government cannot govern from principle if its people do not act from principle. And a people cannot act on principle if they are not taught to build their thought patterns and worldviews on solid premises. A true conclusion (and a healthy society) cannot arise from faulty premises.
This is why the ideas surrounding liberty are so important. They teach us about the principles by which individuals, communities and societies are governed. They provide a clear lens for observing and cultivating the society around us, and a firm set of principles to govern our lives and actions.
The preservation and sustainment of Liberty depends on you. It's time to discover liberty or lose it.