Blog Post #3: An Important Value of Free Expression

 

Self-government was established in the colonies in limited forms in the 1600s.

Out of the Eight values of Free Expression only one stood out to me, the idea of Self-Government. It is a core principle of our society and America would not exist without it. Salutary Neglect was the start of Self-Government in America. Salutary Neglect gave American colonies the abilities run their own local day-to-day governments. 

Ever since then America would be a place where the peoples voice matters. So when Britain tried to take away power from the colonies they would fight back and declare independence to govern themselves (declaration of independence). Making Self-Government America's foundation and you can even still find forms of Self-Government in modern day America. 

Lawyer Pleading His Case to the Jury

One Important form of modern day American Self-Government is the Jury. Instead of having one person decide cases they leave that decision with a group of everyday regular people. Most people on the jury do not have high status positions and consist of everyday citizens. 

Which is good for the average person getting prosecuted because that means they can relate to the people who are deciding their fate. The Jury is more likely to understand the defendant's perspective than say someone like the Judge. The Jury holds the most power in court second to only the judge. Meaning the jury has a big impact on the overall ruling of a case. 

The Jury has made some very significant verdicts that impacted society largely. For example the "United States of America, Appellee, v. Robert ray Courtney"

Robert ray Courtney pleaded guilty to diluting multiple of his patients cancer drugs which would result in many of them falling ill.

The Jury would make sure to largely compensate the victims of Robert ray Courtney after he pleaded guilty. Helping those who were harmed by Robert ray Courtney's actions. 

People Voting for Election

From what we talked about we know just how important Self-Government is for making a good civilization. Examples Self government is present in pretty much any country you can think of. 

If a country allows it's citizens to vote then that country contains some aspects of Self-Government. Even the most authoritative countries have some kinds of Self-Government. Democracy or Communism Self-Government is present in all types of countries. 

If all of that is true than what happens to civilizations that don't incorporate any kind of Self-Government? Well they fail consistently almost every time. Whether it's Nazi Germany or the Soviet Union these kinds of civilizations never last very long. 

I think that this is more than just a simple coincidence. I think that this means that civilization requires some form of Self-Government to thrive. Fully controlling people usually doesn't pan out well, people want to be able to live daily life without having to fear about doing something wrong. 

So in conclusion Self-Government is the foundation the United Sates of America's is built upon. We talked about how America Incorporates Self-Government in it's Legal System. How it makes sure that those in court aren't having their rulings decided by just one judge but by a group of their peers. 

We also went over why Self-Government is such a necessary component for a civilization to survive long term. With all this in mind I hope this gives you a new appreciation of all the ways you get to engage in Self-Government.