Thomas Jefferson is one of my favorite historical figures.  It would do everyone well to learn about some of his ideas.  Though he was an American, his thoughts and ideas permeate the fabric of all our lives across many countries beyond what anyone can imagine.

In Tienennen Square in China when the students stood up for democracy, they were holding signs with the Jefferson’s words on them.

The very idea of a bill of rights, which is the idea that people should have a list of rights to protect them from abuses of their own government come from Jefferson.

Why do I tell you about Jefferson?  Thomas Jefferson realized that a government had to continually renew itself.  He didn’t specify how this should happen.  He stated that there should be a revolution every hundred years.  There is no telling if he meant a physical revolution or not.  By all accounts he does not seem to have been a person who espoused violence.  Elections as we know them today are sometimes like little mini revolutions.  They allow for a new place for the emerging ideas and philosophies.  It isn’t the taking of power that is so important.  What is more important is the change in thinking.  A society must think differently.  This change can occur over a long time or a short one.  But it does change.

The French Revolution took place in 1789. However, if you look back at some of the writings leading up to it, there was a change in thinking that was happening.  At that time, information and thoughts flowed much slower than today.  One thing is certain, all political revolutions are preceded by a revolution in thought first.

I want to be clear that I am NOT talking about any sort of armed revolution or violence.  A society built from violence will only bring sadness, pain and death to itself in the long run.  I am talking about a revolution of IDEAS and THOUGHT.

Be open to changing your thinking.  Don’t be concerned about whether you can change everything in your society or not.  Look at the man in the mirror first.  That is the person who needs to change their thinking.  How to do that?  Ask questions of yourself.  Is this the society that I want to live in?  Is it acceptable that my government act that way?  Is that how I would act?

This is one reason I despise an over developed sense of loyalty to a political party.  Write a letter to your representative.  Tell them what you think.  In a country like Trinidad, it should be easy to hand deliver the letters if you wanted to.

I realize this takes work.  This takes effort.  This takes time.  This takes resources.  You must pay attention to what is happening.  Yes, even thinking takes effort.  It can be frustrating.  Are you willing to accept what is?  Are you appalled that your politician often behaves in a childish manner?  It is one thing to accept something that is not ideal.  It is quite another to accept something that is a complete mess of incompetence,  hardheartedness and arrogance.

In spirit, all democracies should be government of the people,  by the people and for the people. How close does your government get to this ideal?  Think about this one.  Usually, it is the “for the people” part that they forget most readily.