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To: Pelham
The American colonials were defending their rights as Englishmen against a king who was violating them repeatedly.

Partly true, but those English rights still were subservient to the king. American political theory broke with that by inverting the relationship of power completely through the doctrine of negative rights, which served to intrinsically negate royal sovereignty altogether.

41 posted on 07/20/2014 11:49:15 AM PDT by Talisker (One who commands, must obey.)
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To: Talisker

“Partly true, but those English rights still were subservient to the king.”

Kirk considered that view to be an innovation by King George which the colonials were reacting against. There were no American representatives sitting in Parliament to vote on the taxes George III was imposing.

American colonials already had long experience with self government in their local affairs. They were content to remain loyal British subjects until King George began violating their rights as Englishmen.

The American Revolution produced no radical social changes, it produced political independence and solidified self government. By contrast the French Revolution was a radical revolution, it involved a war against traditional French society, culture, and religion in addition to political change.


53 posted on 07/20/2014 12:31:35 PM PDT by Pelham (California, what happens when you won't deport illegals)
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