I do not agree with Benjamin Barber that America does not have all the six ingredients for a good republic. In my view, some ingredients are there while others are not. It all depends with ones argument and understanding.

A major ingredient was “a small scale society limited in both population and territory”. Some aspects of this ingredient are there. America has a limited territory like all other states. We as Americans cannot increase our territory. However, maintaining a limited population is hard. Through these technological times, people can travel from one state to another. Foreigners have come to our country to work or for education making it hard to maintain a limited population. Though family planning practices have been introduced, cities are still becoming increasingly crowded. The aspect of a limited population is no longer viable in America

Social and cultural homogeneity is an ingredient that is not being observed in America. America has evolved with time.  Many cultures have been embedded in our societies. Different people have different values and are from different cultures. People have travelled widely and settled in America making it a place of all cultures.  However, with the formation of the government there is a national consensus on some fundamental values.

Another ingredient is economic self-sufficiency specified in terms of commercial or pastoral economy but not industrial economy.  America is economically independent. Though there is government borrowing, it is done mostly locally. However, industrial economy is a major part of our economy. The industrial revolution of the late 18^th century transitioned America from an agricultural economy to industrialized economy. Maintaining a pastoral economy would have made our country to lag behind in terms of development and economic independent.

Frugality in lifestyle and manners and the cultivation of non-material public virtues is another ingredient.  The aspect of being economical with our lifestyle and manners is no longer there in our nation. When America was founded, people had reserved lifestyles and manners. However, with the increased access to education and development in technology, people evolved from generation to the other. Different lifestyles have been development and passed on to other people. People are no longer reserved rather they are out going.

Another ingredient was rough political and economical equality of citizens. Politically, all Americans are equal. We all vote to elect leaders without any discrimination. However, there is no economic equality in America. There is a big gap between the poor and the rich. Unemployment has increased to high rates. Guarding ones self-interests is the way of life in our economy today. The last ingredient was a distrust of rapid change that is more accommodating to nature and stasis. Today, we change to progress. Change that does not bring any progress is not a change at all. We make changes in our lives to either progress or accommodate a progress. Every American dream is to progress everyday.

In my view, the creation of Congress and the presidency was created to ensure there is self-governance. When America was founded, the ingredients were there. However, America has evolved and so have some of the ingredients. The congress came in to instill some control on the evolvement of these ingredients. Rules and regulation have to be made and followed and someone had to lead the way. Therefore, the Congress and presidency was created.

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