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William Green's avatar

Your remarks make a powerful case by connecting Bagehot’s defense of monarchy’s clarity with the Hebrew Bible’s warning about kingship. You show how a failure of civic imagination—then and now—can lead people to choose rule by one over the more demanding work of self-governance.

By drawing a line from Israel’s covenantal, federal structures to modern movements like Occupy, you bring out a deep human desire not just to be ruled, but to take part in ruling.

That said, the contrast you draw may be a bit too absolute. Even Israel’s theocracy involved visible roles—judges, elders, prophets—that gave form to God's rule. And while your account of horizontal assemblies is stirring, such spaces still need some structure to endure.

Rebuilding public life, as you argue, does take imagination—but it also takes institutions that can carry that imagination forward. Just as a workable localism requires laws and regulations beyond just its own to avoid self-determined silos of prejudice and provincialism.

A rich and thought-provoking piece (as always)—thank you!

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John H. Quinley Jr's avatar

Oh- may we indeed “Create the future in the present.” and be informed and inspired by all we are learning today about it. My POV: All we need is Love.

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