Swords into Plowshares: A Life in Wartime and a Future of Peace and Prosperity by Ron Paul

Author:Ron Paul [Paul, Ron]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Ron Paul Institute for Peace and Prosperity
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

12: Strong Leaders and Foreign Affairs

But every time I read the papers,

That old feeling comes on.

We’re waist deep in the Big Muddy

And the big fool says to push on.

“Waist Deep in the Big Muddy” Pete Seeger

There are two sides to human nature. I’m not talking about the ancient conflict between good and evil, which all societies have had to deal with. I’m talking about another conflict that has been around for a long time as well—the desire for liberty and self-reliance versus governments that promise safety and economic well-being.

Those who seek security first and foremost are susceptible to the promises of strong leaders boasting and exerting power.

Those individuals who are insecure and naive are always tempted by the political promises and are very susceptible to the rhetoric of a “strong, charismatic leader.”

A majority that yields to the promises of security instead of seeking liberty and self-reliance is giving up something real and valuable in return for false promises. The fact that strong leaders are willing to demagogue, spin, deceive, and lie proves their goal is neither to care for the people nor to advance liberty. Instead, it’s their perverted desire to rule over others that drives them. But, even authoritarian regimes don’t last if there isn’t general acceptance of their governance by the people.

Honest concern for the people’s wellbeing, that is, for peace and prosperity, would direct curiosity into understanding why policies that protect liberty and peace are far superior to anything that a “strong leader” in authoritarian and dictatorial fashion could ever provide.

Refuting the false promises requires philosophic understanding of economic interventionism, central banking, and the deeply flawed foreign policy of meddling in the affairs of other nations.

Wartime presidents are especially attractive to those individuals who lack confidence in the benefits of a free society. Unfortunately our government school system promotes big government and is a reason that for generations children have been taught that our best and strongest presidents are wartime presidents. Some of our presidents actually looked forward to managing a war in order to secure for themselves recognition in history as “strong leaders.”

Presidents who “take charge” against any perceived threats that generate fear in the people are well received. Those presidents whose goal is to run things and who believe the people are incapable of running their own lives will deliberately build up fear to obtain compliance from the people as the people’s liberty is taken away.

Currently we’re suffering from the fear instilled into Americans that another 9/11 is just around the corner. We’ve also been brainwashed into believing the Federal Reserve just saved us from a total financial collapse in the past seven years even though the Fed was one of the most important causes of the crisis. To deal with the threats of another attack and another financial crisis we are expected to complacently accept endless spending, endless debt, endless bailouts, endless inflation by the Federal Reserve, endless spending by the Congress, and even endless war.

Too many people still believe it was only

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