The origins of limited government in the Low Countries

I’m reading an interesting article by Paul Belien at Brussels Journal that traces the American tradition of limited government to the Low Countries and to Flanders in particular. It began with the division of Charlemagne’s empire in 843 into France in the West, Germany in the East, and a Middle Frankish Kingdom ruled by Charlemagne’s grandson Lothar. This Middle Kingdom was later apportioned to the larger kingdoms flanking it, but because it was on the periphery it maintained over many centuries an attitude of independence and suspicion of royal rule, and from this developed the republican traditions of constitutional government that later flowered in the United States.

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Robert B. writes:

Hogwash. America’s tradition of freedom and individual liberty stems from the “rights of Englishmen” and their hard won liberties vis-a-vis the king and The Pope. America was simply the next logical stage. If anything, it’s history dates back through Rome and thence to Athens. Capitalism did not originate there—capitalism alive and well in the ancient world.

I “hate” how everyone tries to take credit for “our” culture.

Posted by Lawrence Auster at July 15, 2007 05:34 PM | Send