Can anything be learned from History? Should attention be given to the rise and fall of empires and nations? Is there any historical narrative that parallels the trends and directions of this nation in the 21st century? How much credence should be given to historical fact? Is it true that history has a way of repeating itself? Could it be based upon the arrogance and short-sightedness of a nation’s leaders?
Don't Cry for Me Argentina is a song from the 1978 musical Evita. Sung by the title character Eva Peron, it appears early in the second act as Evita addresses the crowd from the balcony of the Casa Rosada and containing broad themes of regret and defiance. The play concentrates on the life of Argentine political leader Eva Perón, the second wife of Argentinean president Juan Perón. The story follows Evita's early life, acting career, rise to power, charity work, feminist involvement and eventual death. Why is it significant to reference Argentina as a comparison to the times in which we live?
Someone has recently written: If there is one thing we can count on, it is that we can learn from history. In this case, maybe we should take a peek at what happened to one country - Argentina - when it increased its national debt to staggering levels and then implemented redistributionist policies to try and correct its wrongs. Could it happen in the United States? In 1914, Argentina was one of the wealthiest countries in the world, and its living standard exceeded that of Western Europe until the late 1950s. Then President Juan Peron squandered his nation's prosperity by introducing a host of redistributionist economic and regulatory policies, nationalizing utilities and foreign investments, and pumping up the national debt. What followed was three decades of political instability, growing dependency, and economic stagnation. There was a brief period of privatization and booming foreign investment in the 1990s. But that was negated by the return of political leaders espousing Peronist principles who created a downward economic spiral by breaking contracts with foreign utility companies that had invested heavily in Argentina. Today, the country has lost its international credit standing and an estimated 10 percent of the population has moved abroad to escape the stifling taxes, regulation and inefficiency.”
Another comparison is shared by Archie Brown, in his book The Gorbachev Factor. He writes: "The changes in what used to be the Soviet Union have been so great that one forgets how modest were the expectations when Mikhail Gorbachev took over as top Soviet leader in March 1985. Neither Soviet citizens nor foreign observers imagined the USSR was about to be transformed out of existence…No one figure represents the confusion that destroyed the Soviet Union better than Mikhail Gorbachev. It was a Western fantasy that the man named to be general secretary of the Communist Party would not be a devoted Communist…Whose fantasy is it that the man elected President of the greatest capitalist country in the world is not devoted to capitalism? The Soviet Union fell apart completely. And at the age of 74, on December 8, 1991, the Soviet Union died." Will History repeat itself in our nation?
The Pledge of allegiance suggests we are “one nation under God” and our coins and currency state “In God We Trust!” If this is true, and if this nation chooses to walk in obedience to the Lord, then Prosperity in all areas of Life and Economics will ensue. Some excerpts from Deuteronomy 28:1-12, “If you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully follow all his commands…the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations on earth. All these blessings will come upon you and accompany you if you obey the LORD your God: You will be blessed in the city and blessed in the country…The Lord will grant that the enemies who rise up against you will be defeated before you…Then all the peoples on earth will see that you are called by the name of the Lord, and they will fear you. The Lord will grant you abundant prosperity…” This nation is standing on a precipice! Will we be wise and turn back, or obstinately pursue demonstrated failures of other nations? It’s not too late to change and to amend our ways! Will we have the courage to retrace our steps and return to the Lord? Or – will we become an example of failure to others? Consider these things with me!
Don't Cry for Me Argentina is a song from the 1978 musical Evita. Sung by the title character Eva Peron, it appears early in the second act as Evita addresses the crowd from the balcony of the Casa Rosada and containing broad themes of regret and defiance. The play concentrates on the life of Argentine political leader Eva Perón, the second wife of Argentinean president Juan Perón. The story follows Evita's early life, acting career, rise to power, charity work, feminist involvement and eventual death. Why is it significant to reference Argentina as a comparison to the times in which we live?
Someone has recently written: If there is one thing we can count on, it is that we can learn from history. In this case, maybe we should take a peek at what happened to one country - Argentina - when it increased its national debt to staggering levels and then implemented redistributionist policies to try and correct its wrongs. Could it happen in the United States? In 1914, Argentina was one of the wealthiest countries in the world, and its living standard exceeded that of Western Europe until the late 1950s. Then President Juan Peron squandered his nation's prosperity by introducing a host of redistributionist economic and regulatory policies, nationalizing utilities and foreign investments, and pumping up the national debt. What followed was three decades of political instability, growing dependency, and economic stagnation. There was a brief period of privatization and booming foreign investment in the 1990s. But that was negated by the return of political leaders espousing Peronist principles who created a downward economic spiral by breaking contracts with foreign utility companies that had invested heavily in Argentina. Today, the country has lost its international credit standing and an estimated 10 percent of the population has moved abroad to escape the stifling taxes, regulation and inefficiency.”
Another comparison is shared by Archie Brown, in his book The Gorbachev Factor. He writes: "The changes in what used to be the Soviet Union have been so great that one forgets how modest were the expectations when Mikhail Gorbachev took over as top Soviet leader in March 1985. Neither Soviet citizens nor foreign observers imagined the USSR was about to be transformed out of existence…No one figure represents the confusion that destroyed the Soviet Union better than Mikhail Gorbachev. It was a Western fantasy that the man named to be general secretary of the Communist Party would not be a devoted Communist…Whose fantasy is it that the man elected President of the greatest capitalist country in the world is not devoted to capitalism? The Soviet Union fell apart completely. And at the age of 74, on December 8, 1991, the Soviet Union died." Will History repeat itself in our nation?
The Pledge of allegiance suggests we are “one nation under God” and our coins and currency state “In God We Trust!” If this is true, and if this nation chooses to walk in obedience to the Lord, then Prosperity in all areas of Life and Economics will ensue. Some excerpts from Deuteronomy 28:1-12, “If you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully follow all his commands…the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations on earth. All these blessings will come upon you and accompany you if you obey the LORD your God: You will be blessed in the city and blessed in the country…The Lord will grant that the enemies who rise up against you will be defeated before you…Then all the peoples on earth will see that you are called by the name of the Lord, and they will fear you. The Lord will grant you abundant prosperity…” This nation is standing on a precipice! Will we be wise and turn back, or obstinately pursue demonstrated failures of other nations? It’s not too late to change and to amend our ways! Will we have the courage to retrace our steps and return to the Lord? Or – will we become an example of failure to others? Consider these things with me!
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