Things We Can Learn from 1776
I’m a big fan of Broadway musicals and have a passing interest in the state of our country. I’ve come to realize that there’s a musical out there which, in many ways, speaks to our political situation today.
No, I am not referring to Lin-Manuel Miranda’s brilliant work, Hamilton; the musical I am referring to debuted on Broadway way back in 1969. It was 1776, music and lyrics by Sherman Edwards, a former Brill Building songwriter, and book by Peter Stone, who had written the screenplay for Charade and would go on to write the books for Tony Award nominees Woman of the Year and My One and Only. 1776 ran on Broadway for over three years and was nominated for five Tonys, winning three of them including Best Musical.
The plot describes the contention and debate within the Continental Congress in the days leading up to the acceptance and signing of the Declaration of Independence. While it takes some historical liberties (not to mention frequent bursts into song) in order to heighten the drama, it is a reasonably accurate presentation of the mindset of the founding fathers at the birth of this country. Here are some quotes that seem particularly relevant to our times.
Be warned, a few minor spoilers lie below. But I think we all know the ending anyway.
“..in all my years I never heard, seen, nor smelled an issue that was so dangerous it couldn’t be talked about” — Stephen Hopkins, Scene 3
Hopkins is the delegate from Rhode Island who casts the seventh and deciding vote (each of the 13 colonies has one vote) to open the floor for debate on independence from Britain. Today, we have a Senate which refuses to debate anything that doesn’t already have a 3/5ths majority. Any single senator can filibuster anything, and unless 60 senators vote to override, the topic cannot even be debated on the Senate floor, let alone voted upon. We’re lucky we’re still not colonies.
“…don’t forget that most men with nothing would rather protect the possibility of being rich than face the reality of being poor. And that is why they will follow us” — John Dickinson, Scene 5
Dickenson is the leader of the conservatives, who oppose breaking away from England. This statement is the best explanation I can find as to why so many of the less well off today buy into opposition to things like the ACA, stimulus packages, and UBI.
“… what will posterity think we were — demigods? We’re men — no more, no less — trying to get a nation started against greater odds than a more generous God would have allowed.” — Benjamin Franklin. Scene 7
Franklin is responding to John Adams’ warning that ignoring slavery is a grave mistake. Which it was. But progress sometimes comes in small steps rather than all at once. And sometimes, no matter how distasteful, compromise is the only way to achieve progress.
4. “ …a representative owes the People not only his industry, but his judgement, and he betrays them if he sacrifices it to their opinion” — Lyman Hall, Scene 7
Hall, the delegate from Georgia, is explaining that after initially demurring, he will change his vote to be in favor of independence. He is paraphrasing Edmund Burke, an Irish philosopher and member of Parliament, who had expressed this (somewhat radical for its time) view in 1774.
How many members of today’s Congress can say that every vote they’ve cast was made based on their own judgement, rather than that of their party leaders or what they thought would look good to their constituents? On the other hand, I can think of a few elected politicians whose judgement is so suspect that it should be overridden by public opinion.
1776 demonstrates that this country was born from factions who ultimately listened to each other, and compromised. Though their efforts were far from perfect, they made this country (and world) a better place. Would that this were the case in American politics today.
