I suppose that is the "glass half full" way of looking at it.
Joel Send a noteboard - 24/10/2011 11:29:22 AM
A revolution is when the people stop following one constitution and start following another. The American Revolution was obviously illegal under the British constitution, but legal under the brand new American constitution (and no, I don't mean the one written 13 years later: I mean the unwritten one they had in the interim).
Which one then prevails is a question of who wins the war which usually ensues. And we all know the answer to that question in this instance.
In any case, the UK diplomatically recognised the USA a very long time ago, so the only country with a claim to the 13 colonies gave it up long ago.
Which one then prevails is a question of who wins the war which usually ensues. And we all know the answer to that question in this instance.
In any case, the UK diplomatically recognised the USA a very long time ago, so the only country with a claim to the 13 colonies gave it up long ago.
The cynic in me cannot help being reminded of Maos line about political power coming out of the barrel of a gun though. The unwritten constitution of 1776 made such a poor basis for government rather than mere revolution that even the Articles of Confederation were a vast improvement. Given the power to back it up a revolution is legal; without it the revolutionaries will be hung as traitors. The relative moral ascendance of their particular ideals are neither here nor there to that equation. I am grateful that, at least in this case, it ended well.
Honorbound and honored to be Bonded to Mahtaliel Sedai
Last First in wotmania Chat
Slightly better than chocolate.
Love still can't be coerced.
Please Don't Eat the Newbies!
LoL. Be well, RAFOlk.
Last First in wotmania Chat
Slightly better than chocolate.
Love still can't be coerced.
Please Don't Eat the Newbies!
LoL. Be well, RAFOlk.
To all of my British friends here - Get Over It! 
- 24/10/2011 02:09:32 AM
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- 24/10/2011 02:09:32 AM
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"Treason never prospers, what's the reason? If it prospers, none dare call it treason."
- 24/10/2011 04:37:20 AM
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Your knowledge of the English Civil War/Revolution is execrable
- 24/10/2011 05:04:53 AM
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Sorry, I get them mixed up because they kept going back and forth from James to Charles. 
- 24/10/2011 05:29:19 AM
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- 24/10/2011 05:29:19 AM
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It's a false analogy to compare the Civil War with the Declaration of Independence.
- 24/10/2011 05:38:04 AM
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Revolutions, by definition, change the definition of "legal".
- 24/10/2011 08:50:23 AM
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I suppose that is the "glass half full" way of looking at it.
- 24/10/2011 11:29:22 AM
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