Benedict Arnold, American Hero?
To get a better understanding of what is going on in our country right now we can look back to the American Revolution and a man named Benedict Arnold. You might vaguely remember his name from grade school history class, something to do with West Point and him being a traitor. I admit not remembering much more than that myself, but I recently read his story and there is much to learn from Benedict Arnold that we can use to understand today’s issues. Arnold became a traitor against his country and against his friend George Washington. The reasons why are very intriguing, and it all revolves around the conflict between self-sacrifice for his country and his own self-interest.
Benedict Arnold was a young man when the Revolution started. He joined the army and served with distinction during the year part of the revolutionary war, rising to the rank of major general. He had served valiantly in numerous campaigns, being personally responsible for several major victories, and was wounded twice in battle. This guy was an original American hero and General George Washington gave General Arnold his fullest trust. There was one problem with the career of General Arnold. Arnold felt unappreciated. Despite distinguished service, he didn’t receive credit from some early victories, and 5 men of lesser rank were promoted over him by the continental congress. Also, as a result of the war, he was badly in debt. During the war, he had also married a young and wealthy woman, from a family with strong loyalist sympathies. Historians disagree over the real reason that Arnold chose to turn against the American side during the revolution, but it may be a combination of poverty, resentment, and his wife’s appeal to patriotism for England. One important fact is that the British were offering a reward of 20,000 GBP for the capture of West Point, which was at that time a fort and major American stronghold on the Hudson River. That sum would be equivalent to over 5 million dollars in today’s currency and would have been a powerful lure to an impoverished man. While that was likely important, it was probably not the most important reason he turned. I believe the reason he became a traitor was the urge to show the continental congress up for the perceived slights he had by not getting promotions as quickly as he felt deserved. Arnold had been so disappointed in the time it took to be appointed to the position of Major General, that he submitted his resignation, only to have General George Washington refuse to accept it. Washington knew how important Arnold’s leadership was to the Revolution, but for some reason, Arnold never got the validation he needed. Arnold’s resentment probably only needed a slight bit of extra influence to get him to become a traitor. That influence might have been the patriotic influence of his wife’s family. Yes, patriotic! Before the revolution, everyone in the 13 colonies was a British citizen. Even during the revolution, only a small percentage of the people in the colonies wanted to separate from Brittan. Most people wanted to have their concerns addressed, but to remain British citizens. Perhaps Arnold’s wife appealed to Arnold’s loyalty to the government and appealed to his British patriotism. Eventually, in the midst of the Revolution, Benedict Arnold chose to abandon his former friends and help the British army. He plotted to help them take over West Point, but the plot was foiled. Arnold did become a general in the British army and spent the remainder of the war serving them. After the war, he retired to Britain, reasonably well-off with a military pension.
If you wonder how this is an example of today’s leadership issues, consider Arnold’s motivations. He felt wronged and wanted revenge. He wanted to benefit financially. He was willing to give up his friends and family, he was willing to break the bonds of loyalty that form between soldiers in battle, and he permanently tarnished his good name and reputation just for a few dollars and the modicum of respect he received from the British. Now consider the wild conspiracy theories that abound on the internet. You can find all manner of claims about grand plots and cabals and the deep state that is planning to destroy the country. Want if our current state of affairs in America isn’t some grand conspiracy? What if what we have is simply a bunch of people all working to maximize their own self-interest? There is a tremendous amount of money in politics. Lobbyists on K Street in Washington are paid handsomely to influence politicians. If you are just an average politician and don’t have lofty political goals like running for president someday, you can profit handsomely. Campaign contributions to reelection funds become the property of a candidate when they are out of office. A sharp politician can make out very well financially. They can parlay a small amount of influence on capitol hill into a very large nest egg. Ask yourself how Nancy Pelosi parlayed a job that pays $140,000 a year into a 210-million-dollar fortune when she retired. Yep, if you play your cards right you can make out ok, and even if you don’t get reelected, maybe you can get one of those cushy lobbyist jobs on K-Street. All it takes is to behave just like Benedict Arnold. Ignore your friends, renounce the principles that got you elected, accept campaign contributions from lobbyists, get a token amount of approval from the news media, and you can have a very lucrative life. That is if you can live with yourself. In his farewell address, President Eisenhower warned us about the dangers of the military-industrial complex. This is what he was talking about.