Political Morality In Colonial Times Essay, Research Paper
In Webster’s dictionary, morality is defined as “principles of right and
wrong in conduct; ethics.” The principles of morality have countless times
evolved over the ages. In earlier times, death was an easy penalty for many
crimes. These crimes today are considered minor and are penalized with a slap
on the hand. Is this considered wrong? Who is the correct authority to consult
on what is right or wrong? In today’s society, two major factors concern how
the way members of society act and behave.
The first is our national government. Members of our government in positions
of authority decide everything in our lives in the form of laws which
determine our behavior. One of the most important documents written by our
government is the Declaration of Independence. The monarchy was taking away
power from the colonists and putting more demands on. In return, the colonists
declared their freedom from their tyrant. In this document, it states, “All
men are created equal; that they are endowed by their creator with certain
unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of
happiness.” The great men who wrote this down had a strong sense of morals.
They believed that men were given rights by God that no one could take away.
This is essential to the issue of morality because it determines the rights-
that are agreed upon all- are wrong.
This brings us to religion. Religion is a major contributor to how we think
and act because it mirrors our beliefs in what we hold as right or wrong. An
example of this is the native tribes of africa and South America where a
number of tribes practice cannibalism. While this is considered a sin in most
christian religions, the tribes have evolved into cannibalism as a way to
survive in life and have no objections to their eating habits. The problem
arises when the line between government and religion is crossed. While
religion does not have to power to punish one physically, but rather soulfully of
one has sinned. The government has the power to sentence punishment, yet should
have no power concerning God.
Many different religions have evolved all over the world and in the process,
have people have been prosecuted in their faith. The first settlers in the new
world came here to avoid prosecution from the powerful church/government of
that time. Specifically, the Church of England headed by the king. Puritan
leaders led their followers to a place where they could express their religion
with no fear of other faiths. One such leader was John Winthrop.
John Winthrop was a powerful Puritan governor in the colony of Massachusetts
Bay. He believed that this was a calling from God for him to lead the new
religious experiment-a covenant with God to built a model for mankind. “We
shall be a city upon the hill.” declared Winthrop. As governor Winthrop held
considerable power. He distrusted the commoners and thought democracy was the
“meanest and worst” forms of government. Anyone who brought trouble or had
indifferent thought were severely punished to “save their soul.” As one of his
extensions of his powers he banished Roger Williams, a popular Salem minister
with radical ideas and an unrestrained tongue, and Mistress Anne Hutchinson, A strong
willed women who challenged the authority of the clergy by stating the truly
saved need not bother to obey the laws of God or man.
Several problems arise throughout this banishment. I am
for a democratic society in which one can express his or her
thoughts without the fear of prosecution. They did not have the luxury of
this. The need for the expressment of ideas is
essential for a growing environment. If no growth is made, then expansion of
the community is halted to a standstill. The limit of new idea’s must have a
point, though. In recent news, the Unabomber has issued a ultimanium with his
manuscript. In the past, such a request would have been rediculous. In his
manuscript he expresses his view on the evils of technology. While a citizen
is entitled to free speech and press, threatening murder is not such an
option. There must be limits set. In colonial times these limitations were set
by John Winthrop. Total obedience was required and disobedience was not
tolerated; therefore, Williams and Hutchinson were banished. I understand the
reasoning behind his motives, but his limits were set too
low. There was no room for free speech and thinking.
Morals today have been declining and declining. As
independant thoughts have now been tolerated, so have thoughts against basic
humane rights. More today than any other period murders and rapists are being
convicted and released from jail. Attendance at churches pail considerably
from the height of it’s popularity. The people have better things to do and
church is just not the thing to do these days. The government is a mess of
bureaucracy and misuse of power. In two words-Bob Packwood. The national
deficit is at trillions and shows no signs of improvement. Money is spent in
needless ways with lobbyists bribing officials for personal causes that have
no implications with the common people. The cause of representing the common
people is practically non-existent. These are just some of the
examples of how the morals in today’s society have declined in the cause of
“personal rights.”