The American Experiment: The Result of Good and Bad Leadership – Mary T. O’Sullivan

By Mary T. O’Sullivan

‘One of the most significant [examples of patriotism] comes from this country’s founding era, when small numbers of Americans, most of them very wealthy, practiced an “economic patriotism” that put their country’s interests ahead of their own…” – Tom Shachtman

Every July 4 in the United States, we celebrate our independence from Great Britain, something we mostly take for granted with little understanding of the actual origins of its history. In my earlier posts about the waning of a classical liberal arts education, I discussed how lessons from literature open our eyes, by example, to moral living. What Independence Day teaches us is about how a group of wealthy, land owning British colonists created a movement that led to the Revolutionary War, severing ties with their Motherland, and began The American Experiment.

How could this rebellion have happened? Forty percent of the colonists, in particular, the wealthy ones, were Tories. But there is some interesting History behind it all, starting with how the Parliament in Britain got greedy once they realized that the American colonists were good for the money. The Americans paid back their debts promptly for “protection” after the French and Indian War”. (Details of that war are complicated). Knowing that there was great wealth among the American merchant class, Parliament decided to levy a tax, Stamp Act in 1765, angering people like John Hancock, and others in Philadelphia, New York, Charleston, South Carolina, and Rhode Island. As you may know from History (or your liberal arts Education), this tax eventually was withdrawn, however, Parliament wasn’t done with its desire to milk the colonists to fill their coffers. Many of the wealthy class refused to either pass additional taxes on to their American customers or trade with Britain, endangering their own economic success. Long story short, the colonists put their money where their mouths were.

Leaders in this revolutionary movement became impassioned by the unjust taxation imposed upon them, the last one, the straw that broke the camel’s back, the now famous tea tax which led directly to The Boston Tea Party in 1773. What was behind these taxes and the unjust taxing of the colonists? History says that it was the inept leadership of King George III that brought the colonists to rebellion and begin a revolution. To put it into a few simple words, King George violated the “social contract” with the American colonists. The social contract is, (as defined by the Oxford Dictionary), “an implicit agreement among the members of a society to cooperate for social benefits…”. This concept was popularized in the 16^th, 17^th, and 18^th centuries, and promulgated by the Enlightenment period.

The key words which reflect the Enlightenment movement are “to cooperate for social benefit”. In fact, King George’s breach of the social contract is spelled out in the Declaration of Independence: “A Prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.”. How can a tyrant be an effective leader? The colonists proved their point.

The publication of the Declaration of Independence and the following War of Independence was the official severing of ties with the British. The founders, steeped in the principles of the Enlightenment, some of which are liberty, equality, and individual rights invested their wealth and the lives of all Americans in declaring their independence from tyranny.

American need to remember that the most recognizable symbol of the success of the American Experiment, came on March 4, 1797, when President George Washington, voluntarily transitioned the power of the Presidency to John Adams. The peaceful transition of power, according to Charles Buchanan, a professor at OSU, “this peaceful transition of power was almost unheard of in History and set an incredible precedent for future presidents.” This remarkable act of leadership took place almost 11 years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence. And so it has been ever since. This is what we celebrate, this is what makes America the bedrock of democracy.

How many leaders do you know who hang on too long to the detriment of their organization or country? Leaders need to reflect on how History remembers them. Can leaders of today live the values of the founding fathers? Or the good sense, honor, and integrity of George Washington?

On Independence Day, along with the picnics, barbeques, parties, parades, and fireworks, we also must remember the courage, sacrifice, wisdom, and uprightness that made our country the greatest nation on earth. We celebrate The American Experiment.

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Mary T. O’Sullivan, Master of Science, Organizational Leadership, International Coaching Federation Professional Certified Coach, Society of Human Resource Management, “Senior Certified Professional. Graduate Certificate in Executive and Professional Career Coaching, University of Texas at Dallas. Member, Beta Gamma Sigma, the International Honor Society. Advanced Studies in Education from Montclair University, SUNY Oswego and Syracuse University. Mary is also a certified Six Sigma Specialist, Contract Specialist, IPT Leader and holds a Certificate in Essentials of Human Resource Management from SHRM.

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