The U.S. Constitution:
Theory and Historical Context
Political Foundations of U.S.

Hobbes/Locke/Montesquieu
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Note that none of these theorists actually espoused
democracies!
Experience
Thomas Hobbes – Leviathan (1651)

When “men live without other security than what
their own strength and their own invention shall
furnish them withal . . . there is no place for
industry, because the fruit thereof is uncertain: and
consequently no culture of the earth; . . . no arts;
no letters; no society; and which is worst of all,
continual fear, and danger of violent death; and the
life of man, solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and
short.”
Forms of Government

Can characterize government on two
dimensions:
–
–
Who makes the choices?
How much control is permitted? (i.e., what is the
universe of options from which the choice is made)
Continuum of “Who Makes
Choices”
Representative
Autocracy
Responsible
Popular
Oligarchy
Democracy
Direct
Pros and Cons of Democracy

Cons
–
–

Inefficient
Cannot respond to immediate crises
Pros
–
More stable


–
Remember the Hobbes/Locke concern for consent of the
governed - Locke’s “social contract”
Democracy is one way to create a stable social contract
Normatively easier to defend
Populism


Equality
Popular Sovereignty
= Majority Rule!
How Large Is the Universe of
Options?



Totalitarian (no limits)
Authoritarian (informal limits)
Constitutional Government (formal limits)
The U.S. Perspective on
Constitutional Government


James Madison, Federalist #51
“If men were angels, no government would be
necessary. If angels were to govern men, neither
external nor internal controls on government would be
necessary. In framing a government which is to be
administered by men over men, the great difficulty lies
in this: you must first enable the government to control
the governed; and in the next place oblige it to control
itself. A dependence on the people is, no doubt, the
primary control on the government; but experience has
taught mankind the necessity of auxiliary precautions.”
Classical Liberalism



Equality
Popular Sovereignty
Liberty
= Majority rule with minority rights
Pros and Cons of a Constitutional
Government

Cons
–

Some problems more difficult to address (crime,
security, etc.)
Pros
–
More stable
What Do We Have in the U.S.?

Representative Democracy
–


Between Responsible and Popular
Relatively Broad Suffrage
Constitutional Government
What Do We Need to Make That
Work?

Because individuals are ultimately responsible
for the choices government makes, we need
–
–
–
Trust in government
Sense of “political efficacy”
Knowledge of government
In Sum



Many different types of governments can achieve the
goals of having a government (creating order)
Constitutional democracies may be slower and less
efficient, but they are ultimately more stable because
people are happier, less apt to revolt
But in a constitutional democracy, it is the responsibility
of every individual to understand how government
works and to participate
Rebellion



Stamp Act – 1765
Taxation without representation
Cycle:
–
–
–
Enraged rhetoric by colonists
Response/sanctions by Britain
More outrage – steps towards rebellion
Continental Congress (1774-1781)


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Ad hoc
No formal authority
Central “authority” for insurgents
Declaration of Independence (1776)
Articles of Confederation
(1781-1789)


Passed by Continental Congress and approved
by all colonies
“Confederation of states”
–
–

States held most of the power, not the national
government
Power given to national government came from
states, not people
One house Congress, no permanent elected
executive
Impetus for Change



Economic crisis
Threats of violence
James Madison and Alexander Hamilton called
for reform