What's the answer?
"Greek philosophy had failed at the point of producing people of practical power and wisdom who could govern and be governed. It simply had no workable answer to the question of how this could be done. The same inability of classical civilization to produce sufficient people capable of serving as the foundation of good government destroyed the Roman Empire. Early in human development, races of people are sufficiently under the duress of real needs to exalt the virtues that can make them strong. But after they become strong they have no sustaining principle that will allow the further development of virtue to maintain their society. They lack the tension adequate to maintain character in their citizens. No stable society can, therefore, be long maintained if it is prosperous. A transcendental principle and tension is
lacking . . .
"It is all very well to speak, with Thomas Jefferson, of 'an aristocracy of virtue and talent' that can serve as the backbone of a society and make decent and free government possible. It is quite another to produce such people in sufficient number."
Dallas Willard, The Spirit of the Disciplines
Posted by Etiquette Dog at 11/13/2011 10:13 AM 
Categories: character
Tags: Dallas Willard Thomas Jefferson discipline virtues Roman Empire Greek philosophy civilization
Categories: character
Tags: Dallas Willard Thomas Jefferson discipline virtues Roman Empire Greek philosophy civilization
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