How the West grew rich

Washington Times ^ | Tuesday, June 17, 2003 | By Dinesh D''Souza

[JohnHuang2]

The idea that America and the West grew rich through oppression and exploitation is strongly held among many intellectuals and activists. In the West, the exploitation thesis is invoked, by Jesse Jackson and others, to demand the payment of hundreds of billions of dollars in reparations for slavery and colonialism to African-Americans and natives of the Third World. Islamic extremists like Osama bin Laden insist the Muslim world is poor because the West is rich, and they use Western oppression as their pretext for unleashing violence, in the form of terrorism, against American civilians.

[JohnHuang2]

Tuesday, June 17, 2003

Quote of the Day by U S Army EOD

[tictoc]

Great find, JH2!

What is uniquely Western is not slavery but the movement to abolish slavery.

[JohnHuang2]

;)

[tkathy]

The Western world also abolished polygamy, which is close to slavery. There are no successful polygamous societies to my limited knowledge.

[fporretto]

D'Souza is one of the most eloquent exponents of the basic concepts of freedom. He deserves infinitely more exposure and attention than he gets.

Isn't he a Dartmouth Review alumnus?

Freedom, Wealth, and Peace,
Francis W. Porretto
Visit The Palace Of Reason:
http://palaceofreason.com

[arasina]

Hmmm. I think I'm going to buy his book. Good post!

[CGVet58]

another outstanding post! For those who haven't yet, I STRONGLY recommend Dinesh's book "What's so great about America"... every Freeper should not only read it, but have it in their own library.

G-d Bless America,

CGVet58

[PGalt]

Agree, my wife bought the book and agrees...I haven't read it yet.

[happygrl]

Those who say America and the West have grown rich at their expense are simply wrong. The real cause of Western wealth and power is the dynamic interaction of science, capitalism and democracy.

BUMP!

[Heuristic Hiker]

These facts seem so self evident, but thanks to the influence of radicial leftists like Edward Said - the opposite view is taught in our Nations finest Universities.

[el_texicano]

Thank you JohnHuang2 for posting this. I have been reading this book and am now in the chapter on Reparations. I find the book highly thought provoking. The author answers many questions that have dogged me for some time.

One of which was a bit about the issues surrounding the Civil War. I've read some emails from friends about the issue of state's rights and secession pro and con. What the author adds to that discussion (not that he mentions state's rights issue) is that of the tension that existed between slavery and the founding of this nation.

D'Sousa details how the framers of the Constitution struggled with the issue of slavery, with the issue of self government. To have forced the issue of outlawing slavery early on would have violated the very principle of self government they were trying to set up - the consent of the governed. So they set it up in a way that the principles contained in the Constitution would eventually overthrow the institution of slavery.

The arguments D'Sousa presents are worthy of considerable attention by any and all here.

My heart swells with pride and appreciation for what this country is founded on. Thanks to the author for his contributions to the discussion.

[Tijeras_Slim]

There are no successful polygamous societies to my limited knowledge.

Three of four "honey do" lists would remove any man from being a productive member of society. :)

[Cronos]

I guess many right-thinking indians must think like this so they ought to push their government (and ARE pushing it if the news about US bases in India are true) to get closer to the US, economically, politically and militarily.

[CPT Clay]

bttt

[nicollo]

The article re-states the obvious, although I wasn't aware of Ali's remark, "Thank God my granddaddy got on that boat."

Sadly, the obvious herein needs to be said -- over and over again.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Bump!

[nopardons]

BTT

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Jealous rears its ugly head. Spite for the good old American work ethic.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Jealously

[nopardons]

As always. :-)