Why The American Revolution Was About FREE SPEECH & SELF-SUFFICIENT Economics, Not Just Taxes

In which I combine history, philosophy, and politics (just like they did in the old days), using original historical sources to tell an important story, one that has been too-long forgotten and which involves topics we are dealing with today: The Limits of Power, Free Speech, Economic Re-sets, Self-Sufficiency, and How to Make Real Change.
Gaze into this mirror, my friends, and enjoy my latest absurdity of a video.
00:00 A Shocking Series of Events
2:28 The First Act of American Rebellion: Why the Revolution Began
7:33 TOWNSHEND vs. BARRÉ: Is The Stamp Act Tyrannical or Fair?
12:19 A Tax on Printing: How the Stamp Act Would Restructure Colonial Society
15:25 JOHN ADAMS & the Right to KNOWLEDGE: Information Highways & Civil Liberty
23:05 JOHN MILTON: FREE SPEECH is the Root of All Civil Liberty
32:57 BENJAMIN FRANKLIN: Optimism & Patient, Peaceful Political Strategy that Works
42:40 Repeal & Self-Sufficiency: How Agrarian-based Mercantile Boycotts Effected Repeal
51:19 No Liberty Without Knowledge & Self-Sufficiency
SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS
Instagram: / empire_of_the_mind
Facebook: / empire-of-the-mind-102...
PATREON: / empireofthemind
Email: [e-mail]
SOME SOURCES
John Adams
“A Dissertation on the Canon and the Feudal Law,” No. 1, 12 August 1765
founders.archives.gov/documen...
“A Dissertation on the Canon and the Feudal Law,” No. 3, 30 September 1765
founders.archives.gov/documen...
“A Dissertation on the Canon and the Feudal Law,” No. 4, 21 October 1765
founders.archives.gov/documen...
Instructions Adopted by the Braintree Town Meeting, 24 September 1765
founders.archives.gov/documen...
Humphrey Ploughjogger to the Boston Gazette, 14 October 1765
founders.archives.gov/documen...
Benjamin Franklin
Silence Dogood, No. 8, 9 July 1722
founders.archives.gov/documen...
Letter From Benjamin Franklin to Charles Thomson, 11 July 1765
founders.archives.gov/documen...
Letter From Benjamin Franklin to John Hughes, 9 August 1765
founders.archives.gov/documen...
From Benjamin Franklin to Jane Mecom, 1 March 1766
founders.archives.gov/documen...
Examination before the Committee of the Whole of the House of Commons, 13 February 1766
founders.archives.gov/documen...
Deborah Franklin
Letter To Benjamin Franklin from Deborah Franklin, 22 September 1765
founders.archives.gov/documen...
John Milton
Areopagitica (1644)
en.m.wikisource.org/wiki/Areo...)

[@xpendabull]

I learned more about the true meaning behind the Revolution than in all the years of school. We always learned, “stamp act bad” but never why it was truly bad beyond taxation without representation. Can’t wait for the next video in this series. Keep it up.

[@rafaelbalsan4512]

Beautiful, elucidating video. Self-sufficiency is something I feel must be pursued nowadays, especially with how terrible geopolitics are going right now. Some Americans truly don't value the society they were born in, I can only wish my country was founded on such honorable principles. Edit: And be sure, your video is incredibly important and those of us who listened to the end appreciate it very much. No matter what the algorithm tells you, one great video that reaches a few people will always be better than the garbage that reaches millions.

[@EmpireoftheMind]

Thank you so much for the encouragement! It’s people like you that makes all the work worthwhile. Here’s to hoping that the best principles of the past experience a Renaissance the whole world over!

[@binder946]

​@EmpireoftheMind please look at the role of central banking in fermenting the war. It was about central bank as part of or under giv control vs central bank under PRIVATE BANKERS😢

[@smithjack1741]

I can tell that reading Deborah Franklin's letter was particularly difficult to do, without laughing 😆. Wonderful job and exceptional work.

[@Taojas]

Bravo. So true, without self-reliance and self-sufficiency, there is no true Independence.

[@binder946]

That's just cheap platitudes thrown at people. The underlying issues revolved around control of money by central banks under private control vs control of money by government. Taxation is by product of debt money

[@squaregrouuper7284]

Quite the best rendition of the Colonial spirit and thought process I’ve ever seen. Well done sir, it’s the small things, the farms, their farmers, their principals, their books, their friendships that keep evil at bay. Far more than any great act or last stand or self sacrifice, no matter how noble they are. Well done friend may a wholesome and green country prosper under the knowledgeable eyes of good men and women.

[@Satyagraha-ql3pf]

Your work of is an exceptional and highest quality. Be assured that it is highly valued and respected. In particular, we welcome a true assessment of John Milton: the blinding genius of Shakespeare obscures the former's sublime mastery of the English language, and his true feeling for the essence of man and our need for liberty. Please continue your work, those who have ears to hear are eagerly keen to listen.

[@EmpireoftheMind]

Thank you, my friend! I will certainly do my best.

[@squaregrouuper7284]

Yes, I quite enjoyed the call back to Milton, Why men fear beauty is another of my favorites of Empire of the Mind.

[@gkcs]

Thank you for making this. I feel like a new part of my brain has it's light turned on when I watch your video.

[@EmpireoftheMind]

You’re very welcome, my friend! That’s exactly the effect I want to happen!

[@DGordillo123]

I was intimidated by the length at first, but at this point I trust you enough to nurture my soul. I watched every second of it, and I don't regret it. It might not be one of the central themes of the video, but that quote from Franklin about not submitting your happiness to the approbation of those "who are apt to cry Hosanna today, and tomorrow, Crucify him" is really helpful for my mental health. Thanks for your work.

[@atanas-nikolov]

Just wanted to say that this was beyond amazing. I didn't want to watch it at first (~59 mins, lol), but I'm glad I did. Keep it up, you are one of my favorites on KZbin. Very likely in the top 5.

[@EmpireoftheMind]

Thank you so much! I know an hour is a huge commitment, and I probably could have split the video up, but I just felt it all belonged together. Thanks for watching it!

[@thomassladen5264]

Came for the wisdom, stayed for the AC soundtracks. Keep up the circumspect content, and hope you turn your hand to analysing history with philosophy in mind again!

[@_spacegoat_]

Excellent content, as usual. I always look forward to your videos. I hope making them continues to satisfy you as much as it satisfies me to watch them.

[@EmpireoftheMind]

Thanks, my friend! Indeed, I’m thankful for a platform where I can both satisfy my need to create and offer other people something pleasant!

[@Starbat88]

Love how you defaulted to the "southern" accent when reading Deborah Franklin's letter. XD

[@BBHC2]

That was strange as she was from Pennsylvania.

[@MIDiver67]

I think there are those that would hear it as denigrating. Sad, but I believe, true. Although it was read as written, a paraphrase might have been more effective. I shared this video in hopes that people "around" me will discuss it. This is good stuff! Sorry that I'm not very eloquent. I'm working on it! 😉

[@EmpireoftheMind]

Just tried to read it as she wrote it :) While it was meant to be funny, it was not meant to be particularly denigrating-any more than any manner of fun is denigrating to anyone. I like finding the absurd in people, especially in those I love and respect.

[@insaneweasel1]

This is a truly sublime, beautiful and unflinchingly brilliant documentary. It should be shown to every school child and adult in the entire US, and the entire world is well!

[@lightdampsweetenough2065]

Took some time before I actually watched this. It's been showing up off and on for quite some time now. The reason for not watching it is the subject and the times we are in and that i've heard it all before. Well I watched the entire thing because it's beautiful and rich of context. Well done sir!

[@junuthun34]

This was truly awesome. Seeing the through-lines that flowed from other of your videos through this one was great. I was glad when you brought it back to gardening and self-sufficiency; I continue to explore the importance of those things on my own, in part because of the inspiration I receive from your words. Thank you!

[@lukeporras1288]

I haven’t even finished the video yet, but this is just astounding. Very few can speak on this subject matter with such insight and understanding. Heck, you know more about this stuff than some so-called historians I've read. I suppose that's a benefit to reading primary sources. This is spot-on and fantastic content. You’ve earned a subscriber 👍 Edit: I finished the video and I don't think I would mind longer videos, but of course i get why you'd want to avoid them. As an aside, 23:05 - 23:54 definitely is my favorite part of this entire video lol

[@mitchstew]

History doesn't repeat, but it does rhyme. Resist.

[@sennest]

Worth every minute of viewing! Thank you for expanding my library!🙏🙏😎👍👍 And garden😉😉

[@cyberpimp29]

This has been a life altering experience and I am only on Part 2. I absolutely LOVE your content. My grandmother always had a huge garden in her backyard, a tradition carried by my mother. My grandmother lived through the great depression and said, 'we lived on a farm so we always had food. But nothing else - no new clothes or anything else. She said that people were starving to death in the cities. Food independence was and is the key to our survival. This is why the globalists are working so hard to reduce the worlds food supply. They have no good reason and hide behind ridiculous global warming alarmism

[@user-ls8ks7kv8c]

Wow, one of the most incredible and thoughtful videos I have ever seen, in addition to the garden one. Absolutely fantastic content, keep it up!

[@Smarod]

Thats isaac barre quote gives me goosebumps everytime. The music added during it is incredible

[@MIDiver67]

There is so much to this video! Some one could do a semester-long class just on this video! I'm a big fan!

[@VHS_GIS]

Thank you Empire! i loved this one. looking forward to the next one!

[@Reyhook]

This was an absolutely excellent video. Well done, and so very important in the times we live in now. I came here from one of your clockwork videos which was excellent, then the warrior farmers which got me hooked. Very important work here and very needed for the society that we now have. Look forward to more!

[@ricksflicks-]

This was better than I had hoped. Subscribed!

[@mandelbro777]

Very informative. The modern corporatocracy - especially in Silicon Valley tech social media - using their power to restrict conversation unless it's officially sanctioned by the ruling ideology, in many ways aligns with the Stamp Act. The only difference is that the 'tax', is actually extracted through advertiser revenue established by the network effect of these 'free' platforms, which control access to PRINTING opinions online (which is now the public square). Stamp Act targeting of the printing industry is correlative with targeting by social media platforms over access privileges in the modern day. The allure of the 'free' platform has replaced the moderately capital intensive barrier to entry of 18th century printers . . . the effect being that the large sanctioned printers/MSM 'blue-ticks' are then able to censor their ideological opponents and prevent the dissident elites, middle classes and lower classes from having a voice - as you say, the right to establish and share qualitative knowledge relevant to the larger demos as a whole.

[@JudgeU77]

I just want to say thank you for making these videos. I stumbled across your video on A Clockwork Orange the other day and was amazed and subscribed. I've devoured a decent chunk of your videos since then. I watched this whole thing and was amazed and a little saddened when it had less than 10,000 views. I am sharing your videos. Please keep making quality content. Godspeed.

[@atalocke]

An excellent video. I'll never say no to more long-form excellent work. Keep it up!

[@GentlemenMonkey]

Really well done, professional quality with excellent analysis. I can't praise it enough, just brilliantly done, more videos like this please!

[@EmpireoftheMind]

Thank you so much! I will do my best!

[@cthoadmin7458]

Listening to the words of Milton and Adams: they saw clearly and spoke plainly. Modern politicians say nothing that isn't forgettable. As Orwell saw, another way to compress thought is debasing language. I doubt anyone could write like those fine gentlemen today, except as a pastiche.

[@biglapo13]

I just came across this channel. I love your work!

[@bontasliviu300]

Thank you for the work you are doing with this channel. I really think that i need to rewatch this video a couple more times in order to scratch the surface of the things said by you and the founding gardeners. I wish you health and a clear mind in your next endeavors.

[@danielbranam8503]

Very enjoyable and enlightening.

[@SteveO045]

Another brilliant and insightful video! Your channel is a definitely gem.

[@EmpireoftheMind]

Thanks Steve!

[@automatan]

Please keep making long videos! I love your Work.

[@patricksullivan4538]

thank you so much for this. I think materials like this should required from middle school through high school, hopefully you'll do more on American history, you may already have because I just subscribed and haven't been on your channel yet. But this is very good thank you again

[@kittymccarthy2111]

Well done. Thank you.

[@juliocesar-futurestrading]

Great one!

[@zulubeatz1]

Thank you for this fascinating and informative video.

[@Mike-pz6gc]

Brilliant! Well done.

[@themedip]

Amazing video. Thank you.

[@erccdang]

Phenomenal work.

[@ldgaetano]

This is awesome. Thank you sir. Also, nice touch with the Assassin's Creed music in the background. It would be cool too if you included links to sources in the description.

[@EmpireoftheMind]

Thanks! I will link what sources I can the first chance I get.

[@joewboe]

You do put out really amazing work

[@floriporiofficial]

Great Lecture!

[@o.jvanderbeek6594]

This is exceptional. Not only that, it IS important. Wonderfully emphasizing the import of past events, and the production was very clean and high end.

[@EmpireoftheMind]

Thanks! Definitely trying to improve the quality of the content to the highest degree possible with what I have! Glad it turned out well.

[@MaceOnTheRoad]

Best video so far thank you very much

[@micheleflynn6705]

Thank you. It is really important. Now more than ever.

[@pedrohenriquebalbinottidep5731]

Together with _The Garden of Liberty_ and _From the Earth we Shall Rise_ , it makes the best material this channel has offered us. Thanks Empire of the Mind

[@the_Analogist4011]

freaking excellent! as a student of politics, you hit the nail on the head good sir

[@jeremiahmeade710]

34:16 WOW! That is beautiful!

[@rickyaguilar7572]

man i love reading and every time i watch these, its playing like an essay in my mind. thank you.

[@jerinjoseph4364]

Very well made production. I can only imagine how great the founding fathers were and how rooted their belief was.

[@jumpingman6612]

Two years late but was a fantastic watch! It is baffling that freedom of speech is still in discussion in the year of 2023. And a hot topic in Sweden right now....

[@begoniasaurusrex4564]

Thank you, sir.

[@thanksfernuthin]

I am in awe of our ancestors. Of every age... that led to the prosperity and freedom we struggle to defend now.

[@thedocholiday3]

Great video! It's exactly what should be used to teach the brilliance of the founders.

[@Say_When]

This was just fantastic.. absolutely Edifying and nourishing.. so good for the soul. I hadn't fully integrated the significance of the stamp act to the act of putting speech in change.. That so great!.. This stuff is really important and you've made something extraordinarily special. Did mention that your primary purpose wasn't to start a movement.. But I I think it would be a great idea to get a get a live KZbin or telegram channel ..periodically so we can wrestle with this and parse through it a bit more..

[@joshuamoxham-smith2149]

I find this video genuinely thrilling

[@klosnj11]

Amazing video. I demand more! (In a reasonable amount of time, that is.)

[@EmpireoftheMind]

Thanks! These are demands I’m all too happy to comply with.

[@methos-ey9nf]

Frighteningly. Lacking. Today. Damn given the description he just described of early Americans that really hits hard.

[@nickspence8897]

This was amazing thank you

[@isaacrieb7797]

Thank you for this

[@magimon91834]

I keep coming back to this video

[@clintonbock9976]

Different times my friend.... I subscribe to the following view..."What Orwell feared were those who would ban books. What Huxley feared was that there would be no reason to ban a book, for there would be no one who wanted to read one. Orwell feared those who would deprive us of information. Huxley feared those who would give us so much that we would be reduced to passivity and egoism. Orwell feared that the truth would be concealed from us. Huxley feared the truth would be drowned in a sea of irrelevance. Orwell feared we would become a captive culture. Huxley feared we would become a trivial culture, preoccupied with some equivalent of the feelies, the orgy porgy, and the centrifugal bumblepuppy. As Huxley remarked in Brave New World Revisited, the civil libertarians and rationalists who are ever on the alert to oppose tyranny "failed to take into account man's almost infinite appetite for distractions." "Tyranny springs from democracy much as democracy springs from oligarchy. Both arise from excess; the one from excess of wealth, the other from excess of freedom. ‘The great natural good of life,’ says the democrat, ‘is freedom.’ And this exclusive love of freedom and regardlessness of everything else, is the cause of the change from democracy to tyranny". Plato.

[@baneofbanes]

Yah not really.

[@PScottCummins]

This is now my most favorite EOTM essay.

[@timknight68]

THIS message is absolutlely imperiative today. THIS is the way forward as a free people in a free society. I will be referencing you in my own writing.

[@BBHC2]

It parallels with today's over the top government and internet censorship.

[@edmorales3951]

I wouldn't call the internet a great repository of knowledge, in fact quite the opposite.

[@vaahtobileet]

@@edmorales3951 Name a greater one.

[@tsoliot5913]

@edmorales3951 then I'd call you a pessimist with no discernment.

[@blacksheepbear6382]

The internet is just shining a light on the unparalleled censorship of the later half of the 20th Century. “A people deprived of freedom of speech is a conquered people…” I think it’s pretty easy to see at this point.

[@phdtobe]

The GOVERNMENT doesn’t censor the Internet, private companies do, and only on their own platforms.

[@johnwiks2597]

Great video

[@marvelightv5612]

Love the use of Assassins creed music! Fit perfectly!

[@JohnAshleyMckenzie]

Like all wars, this one was about the interest of those with power! By chance this time the common folk in America benefited greatly.

[@blacksheepbear6382]

I’d love to hear your analysis of the Soviet Union Kulok (Spelling - But farmers) class? In an empire that huge, they thought they had a lot of bargaining power, but as it turned out. They did NOT have much at all? Maybe it’s a question for the Envy video you have? I am loving your work. Within the constraints of the platform, you’ve done an incredible job!

[@antonferreira5174]

Brilliant 🙌🏼☕️

[@neilog747]

That was great. It helps me to understand the USA.

[@johnwiks2597]

American citizes should remember from where the might of America comes. It does not come from the puffed up senators, congressmen, judges or presidents. It comes directly from American sweat, blood and tears. From the business men to the foot soldier, American people are the strength of America. To give up liberties for ease or security is against the very principles for which blood has been shed. To see your people accept mediocrity and defeat because exceptionalism is not fair, is beyond tragic. The heart of America and her roots are in the transcendental truths of liberty, truth and justice. Leading from strength, benevolence can thrive.

[@holographicsol2747]

GOD BLESS YOU. Benjamin Franklin and minds alike give me hope. Thank you! I am going to back this up on multiple drives and the cloud. And in regards to the ending, to me this is perfect as in so far as its current progress. Thank you very much, thank you I need to move to America.

[@jerinjoseph4364]

I really thank you for the video... I learned a lot from the principles of Sir Benjamin Franklin... Today's society dearly need to hear this and take notes.

[@weakestlink41]

Tremendous.

[@tsoliot5913]

This should have at least 330 million views

[@Satyagraha-ql3pf]

On the specific matter of the Stamp Act, it was indubitably right to resist, as be assured, without doubt, a further stream of such taxes would have ensured. Big Government's thirst to spend YOUR money is insatiable. (We would now call these extra-territorial, but who makes the rules?)

[@binder946]

Nice narration nice video

[@jeremiahmeade710]

British Parliament *taxes speech* John Milton: Do you challenge the wisdom of the ages? Well, you just see how well you bare the weight that the wisdom held. America: *Becomes Sovereign* *British Parliament has left the chat*

[@ravip1392]

Respect 🙏

[@classicallearner5177]

Happy I found you. This is based. Freedom comes from lifestyle and you nailed it on every front.

[@adam872]

Excellent video. It's hard to overstate how important knowledge, liberty, free speech and self-sufficiency of the mind if not in deed is. Fantastic stuff.

[@noelxd5845]

Don't think I didn't notice you sneaking Assassin's Creed music in there

[@jaredkay6970]

absoultily glourious

[@Palmakify]

Is it possible to explore rhyme and reasons for revolutions in other Non-Western societies?

[@samantoniades3796]

Its amazing how well informed people were, and how far we have fallen into ignorance to everything that came before us, how stupid we have been made by the tecnhocrats

[@russellcash3885]

You enrich my will to live.

[@oscarstrokosz2986]

A great book is "The American Revolution" by Herbert Aptheker

[@yaboiyosef7640]

Hold on is that the assassin's creed theme song?

[@GoogleRuinsAnythingItTouches]

37:00 It's like an 18th-century shlt post.

[@micheleflynn6705]

I would have used this in my homeschooling. Think about it.

[@benzonex]

There you go! "Restructure society from the top down": the Great Reset...

[@luciadegroseille-noire8073]

I have not watched this video throughout, despite being patient, as the first part seemed to be so much Eighteenth Century windbaggery: I jumped ahead and continued but eventually arrived at Ben Frank. in Parliament talking for four hours, thus becoming the windbag - in - chief. We learned he was also the Dr. Fauci of the times,, which gave no confidence either. It seems the events went like this: 'The New York Times has gone up by ten cents - the stamp tax': 'It's war then'. I*'m none the wiser about this episode and that might stand as metaphor for the American Experience altogether, methinks.

[@joshuamoxham-smith2149]

Can you please make more videos about the founding fathers? Especially John Adams. 1. Do you think the invention of firearms changed the balance of power between nobles and peasants, and ultimately lead to more human rights than during the feudal era? 2. Do you think cryptographic ledgers could have a similar effect of preserving the power (leverage) of today's working classes? Interested to know peoples' thoughts.

[@CallMeMrRook]

Ive always planned to dig up my lawn and plant "crops" ... To quote from the classic movie The Great Escape "you cannot eat flowers"

[@baneofbanes]

You actually can eat many types of flowers.

[@tun0fun]

@@baneofbanes So, you get to starve to death with a full belly at least.

[@baneofbanes]

@@tun0fun don’t think that’s how it works buddy.

[@tun0fun]

@@baneofbanes It would be like trying to live on grass, theres no nutritiom in it. You can feel full with a full belly, but you will still starve. You can even starve to death while eating half a dozen rabbits a day, let alone flowers.

[@baneofbanes]

@@tun0fun yah you do realize that’s not even close to what I’m talking about right? Or are you just brain dead or something and lack critical thinking skills? No shit you can’t live off of just flowers, but that doesn’t change the fact that there are types of flowers that humans can eat and get nutrition from. That’s no different from eating lettuce. That simple enough of an explanation for you?

[@Orandu]

27:21

[@Kombatkegz]

Assassins creed goes hard