UNIT I WHAT ARE THE PHILOSOPHICL AND HISTORICAL FOUNDATIONS OF THE AMERICAN POLITICAL SYSTEM?

UNIT I

WHAT ARE THE PHILOSOPHICL AND HISTORICAL FOUNDATIONS OF THE

AMERICAN POLITICAL SYSTEM?

How were the Founders’ views about government influenced by both classical republicans and

the natural rights philosophers?

• What are the essential differences between classical republicanism and the natural rights philosophy?

• How do these differences appear in America’s founding documents?

Both traditions emphasize. . .

• Human nature

• Purpose of politics

• “Good” and “bad” government

Classical Republicanism

Plato

Aristotle

Cicero

St. Thomas

Classical Republicans on Human Nature

• Human beings by nature “polis” animals– Unique capacities & talents– Strong communities make people happy & virtuous

• Humans have unique “excellence”: reasoning and speaking well– Requires education– Order, discipline, public spiritedness

Purpose of Politics

• Help humans achieve excellence & happiness in small, self-contained communities

• Promote civic virtue

• Maintain strong defenses

Good government

• Small, self-contained communities

• Proper balance among members

• Primary focus on education

• Wise, deliberative rule

• Civically virtuous citizens

• Strong defenses

Bad government

• Passions uncontrolled

• Preoccupation with

material goods/pleasures

• Poor civic and personal virtue

• Self-interested rulers

Images of classical republicanism

Natural rights philosophy

Hobbes

Locke

Rousseau

Natural Rights view of Human Nature

• Humans not social/political by nature– Equal rights in “state of nature”– “Executive power” in state of nature

• Must be protected from one another

• Happiness a personal/private matter

Purpose of politics

• Self-preservation

• Maintain order

• Protect rights and liberties

• Common defense

Good government

• People sovereign

• Individuals largely self-sufficient

• Government by consent

• Government obeys law

• Public/private spheres separate

• Government provides what people want• Security (Hobbes)• Individual liberty/property protection (Locke)

Bad government

• Not representative

• Not responsive

• Violates rights

• Not law-abiding

Images of natural rights theory

Contemporary Images of Each

Which principles of classical republicanism would I expect to find in America’s founding documents?

Which principles of natural rights philosophy would I expect to find in America’s founding documents?

Examples

Declaration of Independence

Early State Constitutions

Constitution of the United States

Declaration of Independence

– Elements of classical republicanism?

– Elements of natural rights philosophy?

“Life, Liberty & Pursuit of Happiness”

• Locke, Chapter VII– Chief end of civil society: “the preservation of

property”– Property = “life, liberty, and estate”

• Happiness– Eudaimonia (good life & good actions—an

end it itself)– Not same as wealth/honor/pleasure

Early state governments

• Natural rights philosophy– Constitutions = social contracts limiting government– Bills of rights first– Rule of law

• Classical republicanism– Uniformity—religious/racial/ethnic– Rigorous citizenship requirements—e.g.,

residency, property, gender, race– Comparatively small communities/regions– Civic virtue emphasized

Examples of Natural Rights Influences

• Constitutions begin with bills of rights

• Va. Bill of Rts, Je. 12, 1776:

“Sec. 1That all men are by nature equally free and independent, and have certain inherent rights, of which, when they enter into a state of society, they cannot, by any compact, deprive or divest their posterity, namely, the enjoyment of life and liberty, with the means of acquiring and possessing property, and pursuing and obtaining happiness and safety.” 

Examples of Classical Republican Influences

• Massachusetts (1780): “. . .the happiness of a people, and the good order and preservation of civil government, essentially depend on piety, religion and morality."

• Pennsylvania (1776): “. . . a frequent recurrence to fundamental principles, and a firm adherence to justice, moderation, temperance, industry, and frugality are absolutely necessary to preserve the blessings of liberty, and keep a government free”

United States Constitution

• Examples of classical republicanism– Preamble– Senate– Eligibility requirements– Plenary legislative powers left to states

• Examples of natural rights theory– Preamble– Written constitution– Separation of powers; checks & balances– Legislative supremacy– Election/impeachment/removal

“Americans have always managed to weigh the celebration of the individual with responsibility for the community, market striving with civic caring, the private sphere and the public good.”

James Monroe