For more than one
thousand centuries mankind have been seeking to develop a system of laws to
govern themselves; providing equal rights and protection there-under for each
individual member of that particular society.
Initially based upon what was the innate ability and reasonable
expectation of humanity: In time, a system of Natural Law was introduced and,
in time, was further developed to meet the natural evaluational progression of
the human-animal. However, as mankind begin to walk upright and started wider
exploration of the planet, and to further develop physical skills for tool
making and the mental abilities for logical and analytical thinking; they began
encountering other humanoids, and through rational reasoning initiated trading
systems encompassing best-practices based upon communal concerns.
Communal societies
quickly sprung up throughout the province, governed by common principles based
upon Natural Law: the human-animals enjoyed an organized culture wherein shared
responsibilities were, in essence, the cement which held each family group and the
entire community dwelling harmoniously together as one. The law became a living guideline by-which
all grievances and common concerns were amicably resolved. A small number of the people – namely family
elders and those so taken and held in high regard (i.e., tribal-elders,
advocates, council members, arbitrator, etc), were chosen as representative, to
mediate directly or indirectly on behalf of all parties concerned. Final judgments normally came about by collective
census – not merely by a ruling pass down by the elected council officials and
tribal-elders but by the supporting will of the majority members within that
community: These primitive tribal councils, advocates and arbiters represented
the beginning stages and establishment of a true democratic system and
society.
Throughout the medieval
era – when the human-animal embraced Nature as the supreme benefactor of all
life; recognizing, through his increasing intellect, the beneficial attribute
of the four superior element [earth, wind, water and fire], and of the
particular importance of the sun and it rotational cycle, and the moon, and the
stars, and all the other solar bodies above, and of the lesser elemental
minerals below (i.e., metal, stone, coal, crystal, salt, etc). It is at this stage of his evaluational
process that the human-animal started to embrace irrational beliefs, and
integrated those ideas into the development of the system of Natural Law. Not
only were there pragmatic qualities within the body of laws that govern mankind
but also an element of superstition – based upon a belief in supreme entities
responsible for governing all physical matter: rather in essence, this was
merely the human-animals attempt to rationally explain that which he was (and
is) unable to comprehend.
From this irrational
acceptance of universal supremacy – the belief that there are entities [gods]
whose sole reason for existence was (and is) for the purpose of governing all
life on earth and throughout the known solar-system, gave a false plausibility to
an idea that certain human-animals (whether through bloodline, superhuman acts
or divine consent) possessed a supreme right and privilege to govern all life
as though they were, themselves, gods.
This stage of the human-animals evolution (along with a greater sense of
self-awareness, increased intellectualism and social development, and
advancement in technical skills and its application) brought an era of infinite
violence, social and cultural upheaval and civil wars. Seemingly, at this stage
of the human-animals evolutionary achievements, wherein an insignificant
species flirted with irrational ideas of grandeur and supremacy: In one fatal
act of destiny, the golden age of mankind, suddenly and without warning,
plunged into an gaping dung-hole historically described as “The Dark Age”, and
to this day historians worldwide lament over the tremendous social, cultural
and intellectual loss.
With further
development of Natural Law came fundamental amendments, converting certain
specific tenets applicable to the protecting of individual rights and
privilege. The ideals of communal responsibility – wherein grievances and
common concerns were amicably resolved by tribal-elders and community mediators
met an abrupt end, and the evolution of the human-animal had reached a stage of
self-reflection: if mankind was to progress further, there had to be drastic
changes within its system of beliefs and within its social structures.
Still flirting with ideas
of grandeur and supremacy; yet unwilling to totally abandon medieval beliefs in
“gods” and the ritual practices thereof: the human-animal decided to combine
both irrational beliefs and collectively embraced this new philosophy wherein
the supremacy of man hinged upon his acceptance in the universal supremacy of
god. Instead of election of individual
(by a majority of people) to high offices of advocacy and mediators of the
people: a privileged minority (either through bloodline, privileged appointment
or divine consent) selected individual member of society to administer the law,
not as arbiters of the people but in the capacity as representatives of
god. In their newly established
position, not only were the individual administrators of the law widely
regarded as supreme (by the powers of authority invested in them), but were
also widely regarded as supreme according to the sanctity of the office they
held.
As the human-animal
further increased spiritually and intellectually, expanding his authority
throughout the world and colonizing humanoids wherever they were found; the
necessity to further develop a system by-which the enlistment of ideas,
advanced methods and best practices made it convenient to amend and update the
principles of Natural Law to suit a more common application, and to maintain
the social status-quo. Hence, the introduction of Common Law which made it
extremely possible and easily adaptable through business and trade, politics
and religion, and within the social and cultural customs of the many
people.
With the establishment
of Common Law, immediately after, came the introduction of the Social Contract
– a set of fundamental rights, privileges and protection granted accordingly to
each individual member of society, conditioned upon surrender of person and
property to state officials, total obedience to authority and strict adherence
to the law of the land. This new system of social order made practical the
beliefs in the supremacy on certain individual according to the office of
authority they held and, accordingly, the law made equal amendment to reflect
the same. Inherently, the system
whereby the power of the tribal-community (or state), which reflected the
collected census of the majority of its members, silently went from a
collective census right and privilege to an individual right and privilege: The
power of the people became the power of the person.
Gradually, the system
of democracy became demonized through its numerous conversion over the many
centuries; becoming less the power of the people – merely a privilege; less of
a protection for the masses but rather a private police for a person. In retrospect, when we truly utilize our
increased intellectual capacity, it is easy to understand why our democratic
system proves flawed and corrupt to its core.
To gain insight, it is necessary only to analyze the source from whence
our political system came, the motive of its forebearers, and the reluctance to
sever all ties.
It is popularly but
fictitiously romanticized that the story of The Bahamas began haphazardly in
1492: discovered by a virus-spreading murderer name Christopher Columbus. However, when we rationally analyze the known
evidence, we advance to the year 1670 wherein King Charles II of England
granted The Bahamas to six irresponsible Lord Proprietors of South Carolina who
had done nothing regarding development of the country and the advancement of
her people; thus, there name are omitted and worthy of mentioning.
In 1718 the British
Government assumed full administrative control and officially began the process
of introducing and integrating Common Law in The Bahamas under the guise of a
political system call Democracy. The
British Government then sent Woodes Rogers to occupy the newly appointed office
of Royal Governor. Being more a warrior
less than a polished politician: surprisingly Governor Rogers was able the
restore a semblance of civil order to The Bahamas, established Colonial rule,
develop the local economy through the encouragement of trade and industry, and
(to an extent) advanced the condition of our people through the implementation
of a relative form of Social Contract.
During the American
Revolution from 1775 to 1783 a group of wealthy individual from Georgia, St.
Augustine, Florida and the Carolinas, still extremely loyal to the British
Crown, escaped the treasonous revolt undertaken by George Washington against
British Law and authority, and made their way to The Bahamas and to other
British Colonies.
With the arrival of
these wealthy businessman and merchants [self-styled Loyalist], brought with it
a renewed economic energy to The Bahamas. The locals, majorly Black descendents
from Africa, increased their numbers from 4,00o to 11,300 between the year 1785
and 1789. Bahamians enjoyed academic,
social, religious, political and economic prosperity not since achieved on such
a broad level before. The Social
Contract extended the rights, privilege and protection there-under for free
Black Bahamians - who equally shared in the prosperity and, themselves, became
successful; establishing their own business enterprises and owning vast amounts
of land on New Providence, Exuma, Cat Island, and the other islands of The
Bahamas. Notable Bahamians whose names
included: Rolle, Russell, Bowe, Curry, Culmer, Dean, Forbes, Fergusons, Fox, Adderley.
Along with
town-planning and infrastructural developments in The Bahamas (during the
Loyalist arrival) came the building of schools, the Nassau Public Library
(still located on-site on Shirley Street), the establishment of the Police
Force and new jail houses, the building of St. Mathew’s Anglican Church and the
Presbyterian St. Andrew’s Kirk, The Bahamas Gazette (Bahamas first newspaper),
ship building in Abaco along with other business ventures too numerous to
mention.
Although Bahamians
prospered through the implementation and practice of Common Law, and under a
British system of governance: This system of Democracy, having evolved
throughout the many centuries, had yet to meet the needs, and to rationally
satisfy the innate requirements of the individual – those intellectual and
irrational aspects of the human-animal which deeply desire an avenue by-which
to ‘freely’ express the unique purpose of his or her existing: that inherent
quality which aspires and elevates the human-animal to the supreme level of
God. …To Be Continued.
*Fear is not an inherent ability, rather the position for a flawed character*
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