[Gav]
> what about 'the tribes and the states' by william james sidis?
> he traces the origins of american democracy to the federation of several
> indian tribes.
My impression is that most historians don't give much support to the Sidis
theory that in 1643 a loose group of English colonies in New England,
patterned after the Penacook federation, influenced the formation of the
U.S. more than a hundred years later. That long time interval plus the fact
that indians did not have (and Sidis did not like) the concept of private
property argues against the notion that American democracy had its origin
in indian federations. Since the Founding Fathers were well versed in
Western history, they were more likely to attribute the origin of democracy
to ancient Greece.
But, as you know, one can endlessly debate origins. When we don't know,
many simply say something new "emerged." Pirsig, however, makes the point
that when it comes to changing social values, "someone has to be first."
(Lila, 9) In the case of introducing democracy, that "someone," a lone
individual, is lost in the veil of the past.
Platt
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