Lesson Three tackles the question modern civics quietly avoids: Who governs first—the state, or the citizen?

In this episode, we explore the Founders’ radical assumption that self-government begins long before ballots, laws, or institutions — it begins with the moral formation of the individual.

A free society, they believed, depends on citizens capable of governing themselves through conscience, virtue, and responsibility. Without that internal restraint, external control becomes inevitable.

This lesson contrasts three worldviews that answer the idea of self-government very differently. The Biblical–Classical worldview sees the citizen as morally accountable, formed by truth, and capable of freedom precisely because they are bound by conscience.

The Modern Secular worldview retains the language of individual autonomy but increasingly relies on institutions to manage behavior.

The Progressive/Postmodern worldview largely rejects self-government altogether, shifting responsibility to systems, power structures, and state intervention.

By the end of this episode, listeners will understand why the erosion of character always precedes the erosion of liberty — and why no amount of legislation can save a society that no longer believes citizens should govern themselves.

This is a defining lesson for anyone who wants to understand not just how freedom works, but why it fails when self-government disappears.

Book Recommendation:

Consent of the Governed by Jason w. Hoyt

https://a.co/d/7JzGri5