Wednesday, January 19, 2011

A Nation of Missionaries

Over the past decade, speculation has grown that the United States is loosing it's industrial and technological edge on the developing world. Recent statistics bare the reality that those speculations were well founded and the fulcrum has already tilted against us.

While attempting to invision a United States without even a technological or intellectual advantage, it suddenly occurred to me that perhaps our best bet is to become a nation of missionaries -- carrying to the world our message of capitalism and freedom. I'm not sure that we have a gospel that other countries don't emulate better than the preacher. But then I guess that's probably true of any given church: there are members that are brighter-shining examples of the church's doctrines than the person who propounds from the pulpit.

Britain has skated through the past century or so on a similar basis. Can it be said that it has been successful? Considering that Britain had far fewer resources to start with than the U.S., my opinion is that we should fare even better in the role. The one thing that Britain has going for it that we do not is self discipline.

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