“A good Government implies two things: first, fidelity to the object of Government, which is the happiness of the People; secondly, a knowledge of the means by which that object can be best attained.” - James Madison, The Federalist Papers No. 62

Our federal-republic, with its system of negative rights, state sovereignty, constitutionally-limited government, and separation of powers, is a very special thing. When properly maintained, it liberates and empowers individuals to reach their full potential on a level that has yet to be seen anywhere else at any other time in human history. To be blunt, that is what truly makes America and “We the People” so exceptional.

However, that does beg the question: how exactly do all these elements fit together to create such a unique situation?

To answer that, we merely have to look at the principles on which this country was founded. In so doing, we quickly identify what I call the Three Pillars of American Exceptionalism: limited government, individual liberty, and economic freedom.

Our Foundation

Imagine the structure of America as a building that consists of a foundation, three pillars, and a roof. The foundation is built on the understanding that we are all endowed by our Creator with certain inalienable rights, or to put it simply: each person is created by God with rights that he or she owns simply by virtue of being a human. Those rights are called "negative rights," because they do not require any positive action by any other person in order for them to exist. All that is necessary is that other people not interfere with our rights. In fact, if our rights were "positive rights" then none of us would actually have ownership of our rights at all. That is because positive rights require that someone else do something for us, and by definition that other person would therefore have the sole authority to take those rights away from us by simply refusing to act.

Of course, the negative rights we possess are numerous, but they can all be summarized under the basic principle that each individual has the power and responsibility to determine his or her own destiny. However, once that foundational principle is laid down, the next step is determining how do we build on it and turn it into a functioning system of governance?

Limited Government

Generally speaking, the solution to that question is also fairly simple: if each of us has the right to determine our own destinies then our government should not have the power to take over our lives and determine our destinies for us. In other words, our government should only exist to do for us what we cannot privately do for ourselves or for each other. This is important because every single time our government grows in size and power, our personal freedom diminishes. Freedom and control cannot occupy the same space.

Therefore, in order to protect our rights, we need to place a lot of boundaries on what our government can do. To accomplish that, we need to cement those boundaries into a concrete and resolute document that can withstand the changing winds of time. Within the walls of that document we must recognize the inherent rights of our people, we must solidify the sovereignty of our states, and we must detail the specific and limited powers that we give to our government. So the first pillar we erect is constituted of something we will call ”Limited Government." However, it cannot stand alone.

Individual Liberty

After that first pillar, we still need something more stable on which our roof can rest. So to strengthen our structure, we need to raise another pillar, which we will call "Individual Liberty." If on one hand our foundation says that we are free individuals and our first pillar says that government should endeavor to stay out of our way, but on the other hand we have to live together in diverse communities full of people who do not always agree, how can we expect to function? Are we doomed to constantly conflict with one another—endlessly and mercilessly infringing on each other's rights? No. Once again, we are guided by a logical extension of the same basic principle that we looked at before: each individual has the power and responsibility to determine his or her own destiny, so long as that individual is not violating the rights of others.

In order to peacefully live together we should be free to worship how we want, raise our families how we want, manage our property how we want, say what we want, and defend ourselves when necessary…but in order for all of us to enjoy and secure those rights for ourselves we also have to uphold those same inherent rights for others. If each of us holds to that mutual doctrine, we can maximize both our freedom and our cooperation. In individual isolation, absolute freedom is our natural state, but to live and work together we need law and order…we need liberty.

Economic Freedom

However, none of that can be accomplished if burdensome restrictions are placed on our personal resources. Freedom is a hollow promise as long as someone else is allowed to confiscate and control all the means we have earned to care for our families, to manage our property, and to defend ourselves. That is why the third pillar, "Economic Freedom," is so important.

Claiming to recognize a person’s right, while preventing the reasonable means to truly exercise that right, leaves that person with no right at all. In contrast, if we leave the fruits of labor in the hands of those who actually risk and labor for it, we continue to make liberty, talent, and hard work worth exercising. By first respecting each other’s rights, and then by respecting the things that people earn and accomplish through the use of those rights, we inspire ourselves to keep striving for even greater heights.

The Highest Purpose of Government

Ultimately, that elevates us to the final piece of our structure: the roof that provides freedom’s refuge. The purpose of any building—or any structure for that matter—is to protect and support something. Likewise, the foundation of our country and the pillars of our society all serve a purpose and that purpose is to shield and protect the true greatness of America, and that greatness is our people. From conception, we are all created equal, but we are also distinct and irreplaceable individuals with special talents and unique abilities; capable of creating and accomplishing beautiful and glorifying things. It is the highest purpose of government to unshackle our human potential by recognizing that, while we are unavoidably diverse and unequal in both our thoughts and our talents, we are clearly equal in God, equal by right, and equal under the law.

We are not perfect. We are not a utopia. We never have been and we never will be. A guarantee of false demagogic outcomes was never truly part of the promise of America. Instead, the pursuit of happiness, equality of opportunity, and the individual freedom and personal responsibility to grow into a better version of ourselves—those are what combine to create the promise of American liberty, and it is our liberty that makes our country so exceptional.

- Breighton Smith