Hillsdale College Online Course- American Citizenship and Its Decline

Lecture 1 of 8. 

The History of Citizenship in the West

Citizenship emerged more than 2,500 years ago in the ancient Greek city-state. Government by the consent of a free citizenry is rare in human history and on the decline today throughout the constitutional republics of the West. 

 

American Citizenship and Its Decline

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Course Overview

For most of American history, the people, understood as citizens, have ruled through elected representatives under the terms of the Constitution. Today, the constitutional rule of citizens is threatened by a new form of government, unaccountable to the people, in which power is held by a ruling class that seeks to transform our society. This course, based on Victor Davis Hanson’s book The Dying Citizen, examines the origins and history of citizenship in the West and the grave challenges to American citizenship today.

 

Course Lectures

1

Introduction

Free government allows human beings to flourish by providing citizens with authority and responsibility to pursue the common good. This practice of citizenship is under attack today by a form of bureaucratic government in which experts dictate rules concerning every area of life.

 

2

The History of Citizenship in the West

Citizenship emerged more than 2,500 years ago in the ancient Greek city-state. Government by the consent of a free citizenry is rare in human history and on the decline today throughout the constitutional republics of the West. 

 

3

The Disappearing Middle Class

A large and self-sufficient middle class is essential to citizenship, as it prevents an unstable, binary society of rich and poor. The once thriving American middle class is now vanishing due to high debts, low wages, and government policies that trap citizens in a prolonged adolescence.

 

4

Illegal Immigration and the Loss of National Sovereignty

America’s founding principle of equality created an opportunity for people from all over the world—regardless of race or birth—to immigrate to the United States and become full citizens. This led to a system of immigration that proceeded according to established laws and required a willingness and ability to assimilate into American society. These criteria have been abandoned in favor of a system of widespread illegal immigration that erodes the rights of citizens.

 

5

The Rise of Tribal Politics

Tribal politics is one of the most ancient and dangerous challenges to citizenship. The recent rise of identity politics in America breaks the bonds of common citizenship and divides Americans on the basis of superficial characteristics like race, gender, and sexual orientation.

 

6

The Unelected and Unaccountable Deep State

The growth of an administrative deep state in America places massive government power outside the control of American citizens. These unaccountable agencies d

Hillsdale College Online Course- American Citizenship and Its Decline

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