TAKING STOCK : The wisdom of Jefferson It is amazing to me how quickly people criticise America and never wonder about what it must have do-ne correctly. After all, the US must have do-ne something right to become world’s econo-mic superpower. On July 4th, it would be the 230th anniversary of ratification of the Declaration of Independe-nce by the US Congress. Its primary author was Thomas Jefferson who went on to become the third president of the US. It was the wisdom of people like Jefferson wh-ich made America great. His words continue to inspire people of all hues across the globe. We ignore what he said at our own peril. What follows are but a few of his remarks which retain their validity and relevance after over two centuries. Jefferson said on achieving wealth, “Agriculture, manufactures, commerce, and navigation, the four pillars of our prosperity, are the most thriving when left most free to individual enterprise.” Economic freedom is what matters and any nation following this advise of Jefferson will prosper. On corruption: “The time to guard against corruption and tyranny is before they shall have gotten hold of us. It is better to keep the wolf out of the fold than to trust to drawing his teeth and talons after he shall have entered.” It almost seems that Jefferson was addressing all of us here in the SAARC countries. On religion: “I must ever believe that religion which produces an honest life is substantially good, and we have been authorised by ‘One’ wh-om you and I equally respect, to judge of the tree by its fruit. I never told my own religion nor scr-uinised that of another. I never attempted to ma-ke a convert, nor wished to change another’s cre-ed. I have ever judged another’s religion by th-eir lives for it is in our liv-es and not from our wo-rds, that our religion mu-st be read.” Hindus, Mu-slims, and Christians in our part of the world would do well to imbibe this timeless wisdom. On the role of government: “A wise and frugal government which shall restrain men from injuring one another, which shall leave them otherwise free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned — this is the sum of good government.” Today, hardly any government is wise or frugal. The US government itself is probably one of the worst culprits. Its tax and spend policies have resulted in its anemic annual growth rate whi-ch hardly ever exceeds four per cent. The few countries which do not burden their citizens wi-th extortionate taxation do well. A few years ago Russia has joined the list of these elite few with its flat 13 per cent income tax. Its economy, after years of contraction, bo-omed with a growth rate exceeding six per cent. On government debt: “I place economy among the first and most important virtues and public debt as the greatest of dangers. To preserve our independence, we must not let our rulers load us with perpetual debt. We must make our choice between economy and liberty, or profusion and servitude. If we can prevent the government fro-m wasting the labours of the people under the pr-etense of caring for th-em, they will be happy.” Perhaps bureaucrats in the finance ministry, wh-ile framing the budget for next year, will pay he-ed to these wise words or is it too much to expect? And finally on America’s founding principles: “(They) should be the cr-eed of our political faith, the text of civic instruction, the touchstone by which to try the services of those we trust; and should we wander from them in moments of error or of alarm, let us ha-sten to retrace our steps to regain the road which alone leads to peace, liberty, and safety.” (The writer can be contacted at: