It might at first seem incredible that Benedict De Spinoza, born in 1632 and died in 1677, would have anything at all to say about modern America - and especially about the administration of President George W. Bush. The problems being created by Bush and his minions are nothing new, however, so it's not really surprising that philosophers of the past have something relevant to tell us.

Sui Generis quotes Spinoza:

“Better that right counsels be known to enemies than that the evil secrets of tyrants should be concealed from the citizens. They who can treat secretly of the affairs of a nation have it absolutely under their authority; and as they plot against the enemy in time of war, so do they against the citizens in time of peace.”

Defenders of Bush insist that revealing unethical or illegal actions taken by the government will harm national security by informing America’s enemies about what the government is doing. This assumes that terrorists can’t figure any of this out themselves, but even ignoring that we should regard Spinoza’s observation as essentially correct: it’s better for enemies to end up knowing our actions when we act correctly than to allow the government to act illegally or immorally in secret.

And how do we ensure that the government acts correctly rather than illegally or immorally? By ensuring that illegal or immoral acts will be revealed to the public. Don’t let them hide what they are doing or use excuses like “national secrets” to cover up their behavior. To turn against the government an argument often used by defenders of excessive government power: if they don’t have anything illegal or immoral to hide, then they shouldn’t mind if the citizens dig around and learn what’s going on.

Spinoza’s other observation here is very important as well: the ability to keep secret a government’s plots against its enemies is also the ability to keep secret the same government’s plots against its citizens. People who want to give more power to the government to use against their enemies should consider what might happen if the government might decide to use that same power against them. If Republicans are comfortable with unchecked, almost imperial power being invested with George W. Bush, then would they be comfortable with the same power being invested with Hillary Clinton?

I wouldn’t be comfortable with either.

 

Read More:

• Godless Liberalism
• Godless Political Notes
• Godless Constitution