From the very beginning of the American experiment, the founders believed that freedom depended on more than laws and institutions. It depended on civic virtue—the habits, character, and conduct of the people themselves. A free society, they argued, could not survive on rules alone. It required citizens willing to exercise self-restraint, responsibility, and concern for…
As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, one truth stands out with growing urgency: a constitutional republic cannot survive without civic education. The American system was never designed to function on autopilot. It depends on citizens who understand how their government works, why it was designed that way, and what responsibilities accompany their rights….
Self-government was one of the most radical ideas to emerge from the American Revolution. In 1776, the founders declared that legitimate government derives its authority from the consent of the governed. That principle placed extraordinary trust in ordinary people. But it also carried an implicit warning: self-government can only endure if citizens are willing to…
