"Patrick Henry and the Defense of Democracy" Topic

"On January 6, 2021, and again on its anniversary, rioters and their defenders invoked an almost mythological belief in "1776" and the most famous words of Patrick Henry – "give me liberty or give me death." Henry's speech is a favorite of the modern Tea Party and those who wish to deny federal authority or to ignore laws with which they disagree.

This, though, is to misunderstand Henry. His "liberty or death" speech was a response to British efforts to tax Americans unrepresented in Parliament and undermine the power of elected assemblies. His understanding of democracy is much more clearly shown in his opposition to ratification of the U.S. Constitution and then, later, his defense of the Constitution that he had opposed…"

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Armand

Interesting article that maybe omits a bit. Henry was a deep and bitter enemy of Jefferson, and his espousal of the Federalists in 1799 and "defense of the Constitution" probably had more to do with that than with a "defense of democracy". Not many of the Founders considered democracy to be the thing most to be defended; they created a constitutional federal republic, which is not at all the same thing.

Thanks

Armand