Looking through the history books, I believe I've found an example of a society that exactly mirrors the dream of today's Republican presidential nominees.

1. Looking through the history books, I believe I've found an example of a society that exactly mirrors the dream of today's Republican presidential nominees.

2. First, there was no federal government; everything was handled within the community by people familiar with the area, its people, and their needs. As a result, taxes weren't paid to some giant, overreaching bureaucracy; they were, instead, collected and spent locally.

3. First, there was no federal government; everything was handled within the community by people familiar with the area, its people, and their needs. As a result, taxes weren't paid to some giant, overreaching bureaucracy; they were, instead, collected and spent locally. Second, there was a strong religious component to everyday life. Church functions and spirituality were influential in everything from child-rearing to career choices. In schools, science took a back seat to faith as the primary means to knowing truth.

4. First, there was no federal government; everything was handled within the community by people familiar with the area, its people, and their needs. As a result, taxes weren't paid to some giant, overreaching bureaucracy; they were, instead, collected and spent locally. Second, there was a strong religious component to everyday life. Church functions and spirituality were influential in everything from child-rearing to career choices. In schools, science took a back seat to faith as the primary means to knowing truth. Third, the wealthy were rewarded for their industry and position as job creators. Since, just like today, they controlled a majority of all assets (land, production facilities, etc.), their role included helping ensure everyone who was able to work did so. The wealthiest citizens also made sure the community was secure.

5. First, there was no federal government; everything was handled within the community by people familiar with the area, its people, and their needs. As a result, taxes weren't paid to some giant, overreaching bureaucracy; they were, instead, collected and spent locally. Second, there was a strong religious component to everyday life. Church functions and spirituality were influential in everything from child-rearing to career choices. In schools, science took a back seat to faith as the primary means to knowing truth. Third, the wealthy were rewarded for their industry and position as job creators. Since, just like today, they controlled a majority of all assets (land, production facilities, etc.), their role included helping ensure everyone who was able to work did so. The wealthiest citizens also made sure the community was secure. Fourth, everyone was expected to contribute; there were no freeloaders. Hard work was rewarded and laziness was punished. Moreover, people only had the children they could feed, clothe, and care for.

6. First, there was no federal government; everything was handled within the community by people familiar with the area, its people, and their needs. As a result, taxes weren't paid to some giant, overreaching bureaucracy; they were, instead, collected and spent locally. Second, there was a strong religious component to everyday life. Church functions and spirituality were influential in everything from child-rearing to career choices. In schools, science took a back seat to faith as the primary means to knowing truth. Third, the wealthy were rewarded for their industry and position as job creators. Since, just like today, they controlled a majority of all assets (land, production facilities, etc.), their role included helping ensure everyone who was able to work did so. The wealthiest citizens also made sure the community was secure. Fourth, everyone was expected to contribute; there were no freeloaders. Hard work was rewarded and laziness was punished. Moreover, people only had the children they could feed, clothe, and care for. And finally, the beliefs and values of this society were spread abroad, sometimes through commerce and sometimes by force. Those evangelizing their way of life believed they were doing so as part of a divine plan.

7. First, there was no federal government; everything was handled within the community by people familiar with the area, its people, and their needs. As a result, taxes weren't paid to some giant, overreaching bureaucracy; they were, instead, collected and spent locally. Second, there was a strong religious component to everyday life. Church functions and spirituality were influential in everything from child-rearing to career choices. In schools, science took a back seat to faith as the primary means to knowing truth. Third, the wealthy were rewarded for their industry and position as job creators. Since, just like today, they controlled a majority of all assets (land, production facilities, etc.), their role included helping ensure everyone who was able to work did so. The wealthiest citizens also made sure the community was secure. Fourth, everyone was expected to contribute; there were no freeloaders. Hard work was rewarded and laziness was punished. Moreover, people only had the children they could feed, clothe, and care for. And finally, the beliefs and values of this society were spread abroad, sometimes through commerce and sometimes by force. Those evangelizing their way of life believed they were doing so as part of a divine plan. So what was this magical place? This conservative Republican ideal?

8. First, there was no federal government; everything was handled within the community by people familiar with the area, its people, and their needs. As a result, taxes weren't paid to some giant, overreaching bureaucracy; they were, instead, collected and spent locally. Second, there was a strong religious component to everyday life. Church functions and spirituality were influential in everything from child-rearing to career choices. In schools, science took a back seat to faith as the primary means to knowing truth. Third, the wealthy were rewarded for their industry and position as job creators. Since, just like today, they controlled a majority of all assets (land, production facilities, etc.), their role included helping ensure everyone who was able to work did so. The wealthiest citizens also made sure the community was secure. Fourth, everyone was expected to contribute; there were no freeloaders. Hard work was rewarded and laziness was punished. Moreover, people only had the children they could feed, clothe, and care for. And finally, the beliefs and values of this society were spread abroad, sometimes through commerce and sometimes by force. Those evangelizing their way of life believed they were doing so as part of a divine plan. So what was this magical place? This conservative Republican ideal? Feudal Europe in the Middle Ages.

9. First, there was no federal government; everything was handled within the community by people familiar with the area, its people, and their needs. As a result, taxes weren't paid to some giant, overreaching bureaucracy; they were, instead, collected and spent locally. Second, there was a strong religious component to everyday life. Church functions and spirituality were influential in everything from child-rearing to career choices. In schools, science took a back seat to faith as the primary means to knowing truth. Third, the wealthy were rewarded for their industry and position as job creators. Since, just like today, they controlled a majority of all assets (land, production facilities, etc.), their role included helping ensure everyone who was able to work did so. The wealthiest citizens also made sure the community was secure. Fourth, everyone was expected to contribute; there were no freeloaders. Hard work was rewarded and laziness was punished. Moreover, people only had the children they could feed, clothe, and care for. And finally, the beliefs and values of this society were spread abroad, sometimes through commerce and sometimes by force. Those advancing their way of life believed they were doing so as part of a divine plan. Local lords and land barons controlled virtually every aspect of their lands. Taxes upon the peasants (about 95% of all people) were collected in person, often at the end of a sword. Failure to pay on time meant time in hard labor, in a dungeon or on display in the town square, or even a public execution through hanging or beheading. In addition, most non-nobility were expected to put in 2 or 3 days a week hard labor on the lord's land; compensation was usually in the form of protection and use of a small plot of land for growing crops for personal use.

10. First, there was no federal government; everything was handled within the community by people familiar with the area, its people, and their needs. As a result, taxes weren't paid to some giant, overreaching bureaucracy; they were, instead, collected and spent locally. Second, there was a strong religious component to everyday life. Church functions and spirituality were influential in everything from child-rearing to career choices. In schools, science took a back seat to faith as the primary means to knowing truth. Third, the wealthy were rewarded for their industry and position as job creators. Since, just like today, they controlled a majority of all assets (land, production facilities, etc.), their role included helping ensure everyone who was able to work did so. The wealthiest citizens also made sure the community was secure. Fourth, everyone was expected to contribute; there were no freeloaders. Hard work was rewarded and laziness was punished. Moreover, people only had the children they could feed, clothe, and care for. And finally, the beliefs and values of this society were spread abroad, sometimes through commerce and sometimes by force. Those advancing their way of life believed they were doing so as part of a divine plan. Local lords and land barons controlled virtually every aspect of their lands. Taxes upon the peasants (about 95% of all people) were collected in person, often at the end of a sword. Failure to pay on time meant time in hard labor, in a dungeon or on display in the town square, or even a public execution through hanging or beheading. In addition, most non-nobility were expected to put in 2 or 3 days a week hard labor on the lord's land; compensation was usually in the form of protection and use of a small plot of land for growing crops for personal use. Those parts of local life the lord didn't control, the church did. Services were often daily with mandatory tithing (on top of the lord's taxes) and expectations of additional gifts of grain, livestock, beer, wine, bread, cloth, and other valuable commodities at times of celebration or hardship (which were both frequent). The church oversaw all education, and scientific knowledge was looked upon with distrust, if not rejected outright. Sinning and blasphemy were punishable by death without a trial.

11. First, there was no federal government; everything was handled within the community by people familiar with the area, its people, and their needs. As a result, taxes weren't paid to some giant, overreaching bureaucracy; they were, instead, collected and spent locally. Second, there was a strong religious component to everyday life. Church functions and spirituality were influential in everything from child-rearing to career choices. In schools, science took a back seat to faith as the primary means to knowing truth. Third, the wealthy were rewarded for their industry and position as job creators. Since, just like today, they controlled a majority of all assets (land, production facilities, etc.), their role included helping ensure everyone who was able to work did so. The wealthiest citizens also made sure the community was secure. Fourth, everyone was expected to contribute; there were no freeloaders. Hard work was rewarded and laziness was punished. Moreover, people only had the children they could feed, clothe, and care for. And finally, the beliefs and values of this society were spread abroad, sometimes through commerce and sometimes by force. Those advancing their way of life believed they were doing so as part of a divine plan. Local lords and land barons controlled virtually every aspect of their lands. Taxes upon the peasants (about 95% of all people) were collected in person, often at the end of a sword. Failure to pay on time meant time in hard labor, in a dungeon or on display in the town square, or even a public execution through hanging or beheading. In addition, most non-nobility were expected to put in 2 or 3 days a week hard labor on the lord's land; compensation was usually in the form of protection and use of a small plot of land for growing crops for personal use. Those parts of local life the lord didn't control, the church did. Services were often daily with mandatory tithing (on top of the lord's taxes) and expectations of additional gifts of grain, livestock, beer, wine, bread, cloth, and other valuable commodities at times of celebration or hardship (which were both frequent). The church oversaw all education, and scientific knowledge was looked upon with distrust, if not rejected outright. Sinning and blasphemy were punishable by death without a trial. Working the lord's fields and producing goods of value (so as to pay taxes and tithing) occupied most of each person's time, including many children. Keeping the population safe was the responsibility of the local lord, who, in times of conflict, had the power to conscript all able-bodied men with no guaranteed compensation back to their families.

12. First, there was no federal government; everything was handled within the community by people familiar with the area, its people, and their needs. As a result, taxes weren't paid to some giant, overreaching bureaucracy; they were, instead, collected and spent locally. Second, there was a strong religious component to everyday life. Church functions and spirituality were influential in everything from child-rearing to career choices. In schools, science took a back seat to faith as the primary means to knowing truth. Third, the wealthy were rewarded for their industry and position as job creators. Since, just like today, they controlled a majority of all assets (land, production facilities, etc.), their role included helping ensure everyone who was able to work did so. The wealthiest citizens also made sure the community was secure. Fourth, everyone was expected to contribute; there were no freeloaders. Hard work was rewarded and laziness was punished. Moreover, people only had the children they could feed, clothe, and care for. And finally, the beliefs and values of this society were spread abroad, sometimes through commerce and sometimes by force. Those advancing their way of life believed they were doing so as part of a divine plan. Local lords and land barons controlled virtually every aspect of their lands. Taxes upon the peasants (about 95% of all people) were collected in person, often at the end of a sword. Failure to pay on time meant time in hard labor, in a dungeon or on display in the town square, or even a public execution through hanging or beheading. In addition, most non-nobility were expected to put in 2 or 3 days a week hard labor on the lord's land; compensation was usually in the form of protection and use of a small plot of land for growing crops for personal use. Those parts of local life the lord didn't control, the church did. Services were often daily with mandatory tithing (on top of the lord's taxes) and expectations of additional gifts of grain, livestock, beer, wine, bread, cloth, and other valuable commodities at times of celebration or hardship (which were both frequent). The church oversaw all education, and scientific knowledge was looked upon with distrust, if not rejected outright. Sinning and blasphemy were punishable by death without a trial. Working the lord's fields and producing goods of value (so as to pay taxes and tithing) occupied most of each person's time, including many children. Keeping the population safe was the responsibility of the local lord, who, in times of conflict, had the power to conscript all able-bodied men with no guaranteed compensation back to their families. Those unwilling to work were punished with either immediate death or imprisonment (which usually ended in death due to the harsh conditions). Those who were unable to work were generally cast out (left out in the wilderness to be eaten) or left as burdens upon their families until they died. Of course, death was fairly quick in those times (the average lifespan was 30 years), since religious leaders often viewed medicine as heretical.

13. First, there was no federal government; everything was handled within the community by people familiar with the area, its people, and their needs. As a result, taxes weren't paid to some giant, overreaching bureaucracy; they were, instead, collected and spent locally. Second, there was a strong religious component to everyday life. Church functions and spirituality were influential in everything from child-rearing to career choices. In schools, science took a back seat to faith as the primary means to knowing truth. Third, the wealthy were rewarded for their industry and position as job creators. Since, just like today, they controlled a majority of all assets (land, production facilities, etc.), their role included helping ensure everyone who was able to work did so. The wealthiest citizens also made sure the community was secure. Fourth, everyone was expected to contribute; there were no freeloaders. Hard work was rewarded and laziness was punished. Moreover, people only had the children they could feed, clothe, and care for. And finally, the beliefs and values of this society were spread abroad, sometimes through commerce and sometimes by force. Those evangelizing their way of life believed they were doing so as part of a divine plan. Local lords and land barons controlled virtually every aspect of their lands. Taxes upon the peasants (about 95% of all people) were collected in person, often at the end of a sword. Failure to pay on time meant time in hard labor, in a dungeon or on display in the town square, or even a public execution through hanging or beheading. In addition, most non-nobility were expected to put in 2 or 3 days a week hard labor on the lord's land; compensation was usually in the form of protection and use of a small plot of land for growing crops for personal use. Those parts of local life the lord didn't control, the church did. Services were often daily with mandatory tithing (on top of the lord's taxes) and expectations of additional gifts of grain, livestock, beer, wine, bread, cloth, and other valuable commodities at times of celebration or hardship (which were both frequent). The church oversaw all education, and scientific knowledge was looked upon with distrust, if not rejected outright. Sinning and blasphemy were punishable by death without a trial. Working the lord's fields and producing goods of value (so as to pay taxes and tithing) occupied most of each person's time, including many children. Keeping the population safe was the responsibility of the local lord, who, in times of conflict, had the power to conscript all able-bodied men with no guaranteed compensation back to their families. Those unwilling to work were punished with either immediate death or imprisonment (which usually ended in death due to the harsh conditions). Those who were unable to work were generally cast out (left out in the wilderness to be eaten) or left as burdens upon their families until they died. Of course, death was fairly quick in those times (the average lifespan was 30 years), since religious leaders often viewed medicine as heretical. The Crusades were a series of largely unsuccessful attempts at spreading Christianity into the Middle East. Those efforts lead to massive deaths of able-bodied men and boys, mostly through the hardships of travel rather than actual combat. However, the Crusades and early trade efforts brought back advances in medicine, science, agriculture, and other crafts from the Middle East and Far East. This influx of foreign culture helped Europe eventually emerge from arguably its bleakest period.

14. Don’t let history repeat. The Dark Ages weren’t fun.