"The happy union of these states is a wonder; their Constitutions is a miracle; their example of the hope and liberty throughout the world. Woe to the ambition that would mediate the destructions of either!" ~ James Madison
"The Five Thousand Year Leap" is one of the most important books you will ever read. W. Cleon Skousen explains how the Founding Fathers really didn't discover most of the 28 ideas that have changed the world. They were well read and noticed that the ancient Israelites "operated under a system of laws remarkably similar to those of the Anglo-Saxons." So it is with this in mind that W. Cleon Skousen presents a short section on Anglo-Saxon Common Law or People's Law. He then explains how the Founding Fathers took the advice of Polybius, John Locke and Baron Charles de Montesquieu. They decided to separate the government into three departments - executive, legislative (house and senate) and judicial.
W. Cleon Skousen then lays out the "Founder's Basic Principles." This takes up most of the book and is fairly enlightening. Some of the principles include:
All men are created equal.
The God-given right to govern is vested in the sovereign authority of the whole people.
The highest level of prosperity occurs when there is a free-market economy and a minimum of government regulations.
A system of checks and balances should be adopted to prevent the abuse of power.
The burden of debt is as destructive to freedom as subjugation by conquest.
Peace, commerce, and honest friendship with all nations - entangling alliances with none.
As you can see from recent history we have somewhat moved away from some of these principles. As the world has evolved it seems it has been necessary to rethink some of the founder's main ideas. America has in some ways become the world's policeman. I think the Founding Father's ideas were great but the one about not assisting other countries when people are being oppressed is worth reconsidering. Where would the world be if America had not stepped in to help in World War I and World War II? While I personally hate war I can understand we have had to war against great evils that tried to take over the world.
Some of the main ideas discussed in the chapters about the 28 principles include:
Beliefs which the Founders Rejected
The Federal "Wall" Between Church and State
A Nation of Minorities
Should Taxpayers Compensate Victims of Crimes?
The difference between a Republic and a Democracy
A list of Rights (free speech, privacy, fair trial, etc.)
Should Government Take from the Haves and Give to the Have Nots?
Law is a Positive Good in Preserving Liberty
After explaining the 28 principles there is again a section on "The Mystery of the Anglo-Saxons." This is followed by a speech W. Cleon Skousen gave to law students about "The Secret to America's Strength." If you page past the index you will then see that there is a complete copy of "The Constitution of the United States of America." This is then followed by "The Declaration of Independence." Then you can also read "Common Sense" by Thomas Paine. The book then concludes with "101 Constitutional Questions to Ask Candidates."
In general I found this book easy to understand. What I found difficult however is the reading of all the book excerpts and quotes which tend to sometimes get in the way of a clear train of thought. About half the book is quotes! So this is not a book you can sit down and read in one sitting. It took me three days and normally a book of this size would take me 3-4 hours. I will say however that it was time well spent. I can recommend this book to all adults who are curious about our Constitution. As someone who grew up in a foreign country (I was born in America) I found the information helped me realize even more why America is Great.
~The Rebecca Review
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