Yet a republic of letters in which the radical works of Paine and of Mary Wollstonecraft ... circulated freely posed risks to liberty and threatened social stability, in the opinion of many gentlemen. It was imperative to create a correctly informed citizenry, and to this end prominent figures in the governing class set about creating new education institutions. (68, emphasis mine)
A light bulb that (for the most part) barely flickers and produces just enough light for neurons to find each other in the dark, suddenly gave off so much light that it was impossible for me to think about anything else. I was blinded by subversion and containment. As we've read (in Starr, Davidson, Gross, and now Brown), the dissemination of information and knowledge through the ever-increasing access to texts enabled the population of the Early Republic: "Ultimately, the Revolution's most powerful legacies were the uncapping of social aspirations and the opening of the republic of letters to diverse voices" (70); additionally, Brown states that this newly educated population, "not only brought government into the open buy also expanded participation in the public sphere" (59). There are some great benefits of this early print republic; education and literacy is tough to argue against. However, Brown touches on some ugly aspects of the formation of an American ideology (and by extension the formation of any ideology used to construct a national identity).
Brown states that, "the political upheaval of the Revolution subverted, without entirely supplanting, the social and cultural hierarchy that had sustained a significant measure of aristocracy and patriarchy in the colonial era" (60, emphasis mine). The general public was given access to knowledge and the ability to keep their representatives in check, which fostered a change from the colonies to the Republic. Step one: subvert ... check. However, the places where this knowledge was disseminated were set up by the same individuals who the the public was supposed to keep an eye on. Step two: contained ... check. The very idea that the Founders wanted to create a republic of letters is subversion and containment. Give the people access to something they were previously denied, but make sure that it's what we want them to know. I understand the Founders' intentions, but understanding of something without acknowledgement for the consequences is dangerous.
Now it's time for the I'm not un-American disclaimer: I'm not a proponent of anarchy and I see how subversion and containment was deemed necessary to facilitate a national identity and create unity among the states; however, it is always important to note that the foundations of the United States are not constructed of pure concrete. Sometimes, the builders had to spread the lime thin so there are parts that aren't as strong as they would have liked; in recognizing this, my positive view of the United States does not wain. Rather, I feel better for having a more complete understanding of this nation's history and the ability to recognize it's faults without tearing down for which it stands.I like to think that perhaps the Founders (at least some of them) really did have the citizens' interest in mind and cared about them.
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