So first comes Reconstruction after the Civil War where they had to rebuild the country. President Andrew Johnson instituted the Black Codes which gave blacks the right to own property and legalized marriage; and the government created the thirteenth, fourteenth, and fifteenth Amendments which emancipated slaves, stated citizenship rights, and gave everyone the right to vote, respectively. But the country also had to keep up the economy, just like the present.
Today we are only just beginning to pull out of the 2008 recession. The government is still carrying out the plans it made like the stimulus package which helped create jobs, provided bailouts to major companies, and cut payroll taxes. It also extended unemployment insurance, reduced taxes, modified mortgages to help save homes. Those weren't the only steps to revitalize the country because the Federal Reserve created historically low interest rates, emergency funds for financial institutions (like banks), and also guaranteed bank deposits.
These "reconstructions" are very similar because the government helped pave the way to a better society. However, that does not mean that the people never had to help out. They saying "you have to spend some to make some" is really very relevant because, if you only use the money that you have it won't make much of a difference because you are already financially troubled.
From the past we have the ability of hindsight so we can learn from mistakes made and try to correct it, such as the Reconstruction we have done in AIS. By learning what sort of ideas worked it could help all that much more in the future.
Olivia I agree that we can and should learn from the past but I think that your example of the black codes is contradicting your point. Yes the black code legalized marriage and gave blacks the right to own property but they also denyed blacks the right to vote, testify in court, and enroll in the military. I think that they were a bad thing.You also say that the government today is trying to pave a better society but will restoring the economy really make a better society?
ReplyDeleteRestoring the economy wouldn't make society better in the sense of its general ideals and mindset. But it would make a difference because people would be more comfortable since they have money in their pockets and can buy food/provide for their families. Of course there would still be some in poverty, but overall it would make people feel more secure. But about the Black Codes, isn't the Constitution more "powerful" than them? The Black Codes didn't entirely prevent blacks from testifying in court, only against whites which is still, admittedly, bad. The BLack Codes were a very small step in the right direction, and like in our reconstruction projects, you have to think about public tolerance.
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