Peace, Order, and Good Government

 

In Shakespeare’s MacBeth, MacDuff flees to England to join forces with Malcolm, the rightful Scottish heir, in hopes of overthrowing the tyrant MacBeth, Malcolm tries to convince him that he would be the worst king possible. It is a subterfuge, but, among other things, it allows Shakespeare to define good and bad government. He summarizes a bad ruler in these words:

“Nay, had I power, I should
Pour the sweet milk of concord into hell,
Uproar the universal peace, confound
All unity on earth.”

The purpose of government is, in a phrase, to keep the peace. It is to promote unity among citizens, to settle disagreements. “Peace, order, and good government,” in the words of the BNA Act.

Multiculturalism obviously goes directly against this, by emphasizing differences among groups of citizens. Pandering to and favouring special interests, whether women, gays, blacks, indigenous people, or some professional elite, obviously goes against this, pitting one group against another. Even any “activist” government goes against this, as any dramatic change is a breach of the peace.

But Shakespeare is surely right about this. The very word “devil,” “diabol,” implies division—to put things apart. Compare “symbol,” to put things together.

The Trudeau government in Canada is thus a classic case of bad government. Trudeau declares there is no Canadian mainstream; there is no Canadian unity, and unity is actually undesirable. He slanders opponents as “Nazi sympathizers,” an “unacceptable fringe.” He picks fights with the premiers and with foreign governments. He panders openly in his rhetoric to any and all special interest groups, from Lavalin to aboriginals. He keeps promising handouts.

More broadly, leftist government today seems to be intrinsically bad government.

When, in the Beatitudes, Jesus says “blessed are the peacemakers,” this is what he is talking about. He is not endorsing pacifism or “peace at any price”; these stances are immoral, and lead to more war. He is endorsing those who make and enforce just laws; for the purpose of laws is to preserve the peace. He is blessing those who, given any social influence, use it justly rather than stirring up trouble. Those who do not gossip or flatter or pander.

All of us are, sooner or later, in such a position—not just those in government. It applies in the family, the essential social unit. An evil parent will play one child against another, sowing tumult and dissent. A decent parent will treat their children openly and fairly, rewarding and punishing only as warranted for their own ultimate good.

This is one more sense in which the Biblical edict “by their fruits you shall know them” applies. Or the story of the blasted fig tree. Whether a man or woman is good or bad is hard to determine. Most evil is done in secret. A good test is to ask, are their children happy, ”well-adjusted,” and on good terms with one another?