Political Morality In Colonial Times Essay, Research Paper

In Webster’s dictionary, morality is defined as “principles of right and

wrong in conduct; ethics.” The principles of morality have countless times

evolved over the ages. In earlier times, death was an easy penalty for many

crimes. These crimes today are considered minor and are penalized with a slap

on the hand. Is this considered wrong? Who is the correct authority to consult

on what is right or wrong? In today’s society, two major factors concern how

the way members of society act and behave.

The first is our national government. Members of our government in positions

of authority decide everything in our lives in the form of laws which

determine our behavior. One of the most important documents written by our

government is the Declaration of Independence. The monarchy was taking away

power from the colonists and putting more demands on. In return, the colonists

declared their freedom from their tyrant. In this document, it states, “All

men are created equal; that they are endowed by their creator with certain

unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of

happiness.” The great men who wrote this down had a strong sense of morals.

They believed that men were given rights by God that no one could take away.

This is essential to the issue of morality because it determines the rights-

that are agreed upon all- are wrong.

This brings us to religion. Religion is a major contributor to how we think

and act because it mirrors our beliefs in what we hold as right or wrong. An

example of this is the native tribes of africa and South America where a

number of tribes practice cannibalism. While this is considered a sin in most

christian religions, the tribes have evolved into cannibalism as a way to

survive in life and have no objections to their eating habits. The problem

arises when the line between government and religion is crossed. While

religion does not have to power to punish one physically, but rather soulfully of

one has sinned. The government has the power to sentence punishment, yet should

have no power concerning God.

Many different religions have evolved all over the world and in the process,

have people have been prosecuted in their faith. The first settlers in the new

world came here to avoid prosecution from the powerful church/government of

that time. Specifically, the Church of England headed by the king. Puritan

leaders led their followers to a place where they could express their religion

with no fear of other faiths. One such leader was John Winthrop.

John Winthrop was a powerful Puritan governor in the colony of Massachusetts

Bay. He believed that this was a calling from God for him to lead the new

religious experiment-a covenant with God to built a model for mankind. “We

shall be a city upon the hill.” declared Winthrop. As governor Winthrop held

considerable power. He distrusted the commoners and thought democracy was the

“meanest and worst” forms of government. Anyone who brought trouble or had

indifferent thought were severely punished to “save their soul.” As one of his

extensions of his powers he banished Roger Williams, a popular Salem minister

with radical ideas and an unrestrained tongue, and Mistress Anne Hutchinson, A strong

willed women who challenged the authority of the clergy by stating the truly

saved need not bother to obey the laws of God or man.

Several problems arise throughout this banishment. I am

for a democratic society in which one can express his or her

thoughts without the fear of prosecution. They did not have the luxury of

this. The need for the expressment of ideas is

essential for a growing environment. If no growth is made, then expansion of

the community is halted to a standstill. The limit of new idea’s must have a

point, though. In recent news, the Unabomber has issued a ultimanium with his

manuscript. In the past, such a request would have been rediculous. In his

manuscript he expresses his view on the evils of technology. While a citizen

is entitled to free speech and press, threatening murder is not such an

option. There must be limits set. In colonial times these limitations were set

by John Winthrop. Total obedience was required and disobedience was not

tolerated; therefore, Williams and Hutchinson were banished. I understand the

reasoning behind his motives, but his limits were set too

low. There was no room for free speech and thinking.

Morals today have been declining and declining. As

independant thoughts have now been tolerated, so have thoughts against basic

humane rights. More today than any other period murders and rapists are being

convicted and released from jail. Attendance at churches pail considerably

from the height of it’s popularity. The people have better things to do and

church is just not the thing to do these days. The government is a mess of

bureaucracy and misuse of power. In two words-Bob Packwood. The national

deficit is at trillions and shows no signs of improvement. Money is spent in

needless ways with lobbyists bribing officials for personal causes that have

no implications with the common people. The cause of representing the common

people is practically non-existent. These are just some of the

examples of how the morals in today’s society have declined in the cause of

“personal rights.”