Thomas Jefferson envisioned an “empire of liberty” in which the American Republic would expand.
He envisioned that “freedom” could spread by example rather than by force.
He believed the nation should grow and demonstrate to others how well a system based on consent, basic rights, and self-government works.
The idea was: reject that a standing military should be used to impose liberty on other peoples.
Insist that governments must be founded on the consent of the governed, protect fundamental rights, and replace rule by kings with rule by the people.
It was really not that complicated an idea.
