Perez Fobes Quotes
… we feel also and revere the wisdom of God in the appointment of a Jubilee, as an essential article in the [ancient] Jewish policy. This, it is probable, was the great palladium of liberty to that people. A similar institution perhaps may be the only method in which liberty can be perpetuated among selfish, degenerate beings in every government under heaven.
Rev Fobes saw the Jubilee as an instrument that would protect liberty by not allowing people a certain amount of economic freedom. See {638120} for an example of how the Jubilee functioned.
Perez Fobes, 1742-1812, Protestant Clergyman & Vice President, Brown University, Sermon, Boston, 1795
Sourced by: Eigen's Political and Historical Quotations
See {638095} for a brief explanation of the Jubilee. Spinoza was one of the most feared intellectuals in human history—feared that is by the established power structures. He is the only known person who was excommunicated by the Catholics, the Jews and the Muslims—all were forbidden to read his works. He was the enemy of authority and advocated personal reason as the guide for men.
“Slaves” in this passage referred to indentured servants. This concept is referred to as the “Jubilee” where once every 50 years all the land reverted to the original owner or heirs even if it had been rented or sold. Land therefore, was very cheap as the Jubilee year approached, as it would have to be given up. And this command of God made sure that no one could be in servitude forever.
This quotation is a classic example of the extreme view of slavery that was held by many Southerners. Note the phrase: “as the great God-given guaranty of the freedom of the white man through the thralldom of the black”. The Southern view was that the only way the white can be free is to have the Black as a slave…and this order of things is what God had ordained.
Although India has been a thriving democracy since its independence. Nonetheless, there has been a strong governmental tradition in India of great regulation and control of business and the economy.
As hard as it is for us to imagine today, while her husband was President of the United States, the First Lady wrote a nationally syndicated newspaper column every single day with politics frequently the subject. While she usually agreed with the President, there were occasions where they seemed to not see things exactly the same. She tended to be more liberal than he. However, there were those who believed that when she criticized politicians, it was with FDR’s knowledge and blessing and she sometimes did his “dirty work.” Eleanor Roosevelt was one of the most influential people in the country—certainly more-so than any First Lady before and since.
In 1881 this view was that of a radical political outlier. In the first decades of the 21st century, this was a generally acceptable political viewpoint held by members of both major political parties.
For years people have noticed that many of the rich are not very deserving people by charater, talent, training of other virtues. However, if one believed in a beneficent God, this was hard to explain. One solution was to conclude that God did not value riches very highly.
