America Birleşik Devletleri Was a Miracle: The Legacy of the Founding Fathers Was Sacrificed for the Comfort of Empire

The Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, the founding documents of the America Birleşik Devletleri, are considered historical miracles that emerged as a product of unique political and cultural conditions. By celebrating the principle of separation of powers, these documents honored a structural declaration of rights that served as a guarantee against the tyranny of the executive branch. The brightest and most important element of the system was that the power to declare war was solely the monopoly of Kongre; this design contained no incentive to declare war other than self-defense against an aggressor disrupting the peace, unlike the executive branch. However, the article argues that there has been a gradual departure from this founding system, and that it is sacrificed today for the crude comforts of empire. In this context, it is emphasized how unique the founding philosophy of the ABD was and that it was the product of a historical period that will probably never be repeated.

Drawing attention to the functioning of wartime and how the law is silenced during this period, the author notes that elements such as secrecy, speed, and energy reach their highest levels during a state of war. By exemplifying this situation with Napolyon's saying, "One bad general is preferable to two good ones," the author emphasizes the mandatory centralization required by the command structure during war. In such cases, under the discourse of national security, an endless power begins to flow towards the presidency, and the president can attain a position where they can simultaneously assume the roles of prosecutor, judge, jury, and executioner. In such an environment, the legislature, namely Kongre, turns into a silent spectator like a mere extra on a massive movie set. Therefore, the checks and balances mechanisms envisioned by the founding fathers effectively become dysfunctional during exceptional wartime periods.

Thousands of years of historical experience confirms the untimely teachings of America's fourth President, James Madison, on war and the strengthening of the executive branch. According to Madison, war is the true nurse, meaning the nourisher, of the excessive strengthening and swelling of the executive branch; because the physical force to be created during war becomes subject to the will of the executive. At the same time, public treasuries are opened under the pretext of war, and these massive material resources are distributed only by the hands of the executive branch, which increases its patronage power immensely. The honors and profits of duties multiply, and the medals and rolls of honor to be gained from victory directly adorn the head of the executive. The strongest passions in the human breast, ambitions, greed, and the love of fame, work in constant conspiracy against their duty with the desire for peace, promoting the returns of war.

Alexander Hamilton, in the eighth of the Federalist papers, also drew attention to the destructive effects of war on freedoms, stating that the impulse to protect against external dangers is one of the most powerful factors directing the behavior of nations. Hamilton foresaw that even the most ardent love of freedom would eventually retreat and make concessions in the face of these external threats and security concerns. The violent death and destruction brought by war, a constant state of danger and alarm, causes people to be pushed into seeking peace and tranquility, leading them towards authoritarian institutions. In order to be more secure, people accept the risk of daring to be less free as a last resort; this paves the way for the gradual elimination of civil and political rights. In this context, the delicate balance between security and freedom is always disrupted in favor of authoritarian structures in states of emergency and war.

Based on all these historical references, James Madison describes war as the most terrifying of all enemies to public liberty. War is a seed that contains and develops all other dangers within itself, with the numerous different threat elements it harbors. War breeds armies, and armies lead to massive debts and heavy tax burdens on the people. While army units and the maintenance of these units deplete the state's material resources, they also inevitably prepare the ground for oppressive mechanisms that will sustain authority. Through this historical and philosophical background, the author deeply analyzes how far America has strayed from its founding values and how war and security policies have changed the country. Ultimately, the article presents a profound criticism, arguing that the original Constitutional miracle of the ABD has been gradually abandoned for the narrow and crude interests brought about by a global empire.