Irving Kristol was known as the godfather of neoconservatism due to his influential repercussion in the intellectual and political culture of the last half of the twentieth century, as well as his contributions as an author and editor.
Irving Kristol, in his brilliant analysis of the American Revolution, The Most Successful Revolution, provides a thorough explanation of the reasons behind the Americans' revolt. He starts off focusing on the main revolutionary leaders and how younger Americans have taken for granted what they did and fought for. He describes this situation as paradoxical and extremely embarrassing caused by the progressive loss of popular interest in the mater. Misconceptions about the true meaning and use of the Revolution are widely spread. Kristol defends that modern Americans have ceased to see it as the historic and political symbol that it is, but instead use it to point up how we have failed to honor it and instead created shortcomings for the American society.
George Washington, as Kristol describes, was perhaps the one indispensable man among the founders, widely known as the Father of the Country. Many young Americans have distanced themselves from historic traditions, and figures such as Washington have been diminished in size and left behind. Our conception of leadership and what a true revolutionary leader is, has progressively changed to the point that we take for granted the struggles that our ancestors had to go through for us to enjoy the freedom and liberty that we do. Because of this twist, not only memorable figures such as G.Washington are not considered revolutionaries anymore but neither is their work.
For many years, historians looked at the American Revolution as something abortive and incomplete in comparison with other models such as the French. But, recently historians have given it a more respectful study that, as Kristol states, has revealed the forgotten truth of what the Founding Fathers insisted on. The Revolution wasn’t flawless or perfect. It unleashed controversy, but it was so exceptional that they were able to turn all of this doubt and ambiguity into serious thinking about the problems of political philosophy. People were uncertain of what was happening, but they stayed loyal and trusted their leaders. This is why many people such as Kristol defend that this revolution was infused by the mind, not by dogma. This is not only impressive but also enviable and unique, not only back then but it has also formed our political institutions into what they are today.
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Throughout the article, we see the views of different people in the matter. We see the term “ imperfect” faith, but what does it mean? Is there such thing as imperfect faith? The Founding Fathers subscribed to this believe. They defended the frailties of man and believed that a political system could take care of that. They were certain that republican self-government could not exist without self-control, self-reliance, and a disinterested concern for the public good. People have amazing different exceptional qualities and they can be used for good or evil. The Founding Fathers believed in human nature, they trusted that the people would make smart choices, and presupposed the existence of good qualities in a higher degree than bad ones.
Democratic demagoguery has now become the only proper rhetorical mode of address as between government and people in a republic, but this goes against the Fathers’ initial beliefs. They thought that self-government was a chancy and demanding enterprise and that successful government in a republic was a most difficult business. We, instead, believe that republican self-government is an easy affair, that it need only be instituted for it to work on its own, and that when such government falters, it must be as a consequence of personal incompetence or malfeasance by elected officials.
The American Revolution was key for the development of the country. It had two faces though, it undoubtedly forced the ends of British rule and stablished the famous system of republican- elf rule. These are facts, and whether or not you consider the Revolution successful, these events shaped not only the government but the American society as we know it today.
The American Revolution played a significant role in the development of America through strengthening or weakening: the economy with its taxation and insufficient amount of currency, the American legal system with its institution of the electoral college and constitution, and the American culture with its views on racial and gender equality. This movement had a tremendous impact upon American society by demonstrating the fragility of its economic system, by forming the basis for its current Constitution and legal values, and by encouraging women and other races to fight for their rights, due to the fact that the Revolution failed at putting republican principles into practice. It’s true that the American Revolution had some mixed results from the standpoint of liberty, but it led to the formation of the country that we live in today. The Protestantism of the Founding Fathers also helped the Revolution succeed. Their Protestant worldview placed an intense value on the individual—his conscience, the state of his soul, his understanding of Scripture, his personal relation to God, his salvation. The best answer to that fear was the example of the Founders themselves—men of luminous public spirit, who had no hesitation in “appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions” in the Declaration of Independence. And that is the last, and largest, reason that the American Revolution succeeded, where others failed.
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