PLS 309 – PH #421
Fall, 2013 -- Office Hrs: M/W 12:15-2:00
Joanna Vecchiarelli Scott -- Professor, Department of Political Science
jscott@emich. 601 PH. 487-3113
I.
ENDURING AMERICAN THEMES: Liberty, Equality, Democracy
[Pres. Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Second State of the Union Address. 1944]
"In our day…we have accepted a second Bill of Rights, under which a new basis of security and
prosperity can be established for all--regardless of station, race or creed. Among these are: The
right to a useful and remunerative job in the industries or ships or farms or mines of the Nation;
The right to earn enough to provide adequate food and clothing and recreation; The right of
every farmer to raise and sell his products at a return which will give him and his family a decent
living; The right of every businessman large and small to trade in an atmosphere of freedom
from unfair competition and domination by monopolies at home or abroad; The right of every
family to a decent home; The right to adequate medical care and the opportunity to achieve and
enjoy good health; The right to adequate protection from the economic fears of old age, sickness,
accident and unemployment; The right to a good education. All of these rights spell security."
[Former Pres. Herbert Hoover, 1936]
"I gave warning against this philosophy of government 4 yrs. ago…based on my knowledge of
ideas that Mr. Roosevelt and his bosom colleagues had covertly embraced…I rejected the notion
of great trade monopolies and price fixing through codes. That could only stifle the little business
man by regimentation…I rejected the schemes of 'economic planning' to regiment and coerce the
farmer. That was born of a Roman despot fourteen hundred years ago and grew up into the AAA;
I refused national plans to put the government into business in competition with its citizens. That
was born of Karl Marx; I vetoed the idea of recovery through stupendous spending to prime the
pump. That was born of a British professor (J. Maynard Keynes); I threw out attempts to
centralize relief in Wash, D.C. for politics and social experimentation; I defeated other plans to
invade State rights, to centralize power in Washington. Those ideas were born of American
radicals…"
II COURSE STRUCTURE AND REQUIREMENTS:
Graded Assignments and Presentations:
 3 Essays--the first two, short essay tests given in-class, the last a take-home essay
final exam. Questions will be distributed beforehand. Completed essay exams
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MUST be handed in on time, or taken on the day scheduled. No exceptions will
be allowed, unless an emergency has arisen and I have given my permission
beforehand. This applies to ALL students, including athletes.
 1 group presentation (class will be divided into groups) in class:
[Note: Dates may change, based on class progress. You will be notified in advance of
adjustments to the schedule]
Scoring:
Letter grades will be given (not numeric). Your grade on each exercise, and your
cumulative final grade, will reflect my evaluation of : your demonstrated written and oral
understanding of the assigned readings, handouts and videos, class lectures and
discussions. Class participation, in the group projects and as individuals in class, is
essential in this class and will contribute to your final grade.
All presentations, written and oral, must be based primarily on your own ideas and words
which, in turn, are generated from the primary source text which has been assigned. Any
other information, including especially online texts and analysis, must be fully cited and
searchable. Using ideas and texts which are not yours without attribution is called
plagiarism, and will result in a “0” for the assignment and, at my discretion, for the
course.
III.
EQUIRED READINGS, CALENDAR OF CLASS DISCUSSIONS AND
EXAMS:
 Required Book --MUST be purchased: Prices on Amazon: $51.76 (new)
$38.32 (used is OK if it is the 2009 edition).
Isaac Kramnick and Theodore Lowi. American Political Thought: A Norton
Anthology. 2009. New York: Norton & Norton.
Almost all of the readings below are short excerpts: first skim/read through them to
understand the points being made. I will be discussing most, but not all of them in class.
If you have not skimmed them beforehand, you will not be able to get the most out of
class sessions—i.e. do your part in group presentations, and succeed on the short and
long essay tests. There is a summary before each excerpt, and a very good general
introduction. For the essays presentations themselves you will need to return to the texts
to read in depth.
**Unit I: Sept 4 – Sept 25: Back to the Future:
1.Discussion of “Liberal” and “Conservative” American political ideas in the 20th
century (see quotes above)
2. Readings from the 17th and 18th centuries
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**Kramnick Anthology: Part I
The Mayflower Compact (
John Winthrop (1630-1639)
Roger Williams (1644)
Benjamin Franklin (1758-84)
Kramnick Anthology: Part II:
John Adams (1775-1776)
Thomas Paine (1776)
Alexander Hamilton (1780); Federalist #23, #84
James Madison (1787-88); Federalist #10, #39, #51
**First Short Essay Exam – in class – Sept. 30
**Unit II: Oct. 2—Oct. 30: The 19th century and early 20th centuries—
War, Inequality and National Development
1.Kramnick Anthology: Part III: Civil War
President Andrew Jackson (1829-1837)
Roger Taney (1837, 1857)
John C. Calhoun (1837, 1838)
George Fitzhugh (1854, 1957
President Abraham Lincoln (1854/Peoria; Wisconsin/1859; New York, 1860; New
Haven, 1860) + “Lincoln” the film….if time permits
2.Kramnick Anthology: Part IV: Capitalism, Individualism and Populism
William Graham Sumner (1884-1892)
Henry George (1879)
Andrew Carnegie (1889)
Emma Goldman (1907)
Eugene V. Debs (1904-1918)
President Theodore Roosevelt (1889; 1910))
Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)
Langston Hughes (1938)
Lincoln Stephens (1904)
Jane Addams (1909)
John Dewey (1910)
Louis Brandeis (1915)
President Woodrow Wilson (1913)
**Second Short Essay Exam –in class—Nov. 4
**GROUP PRESENTATIONS ON AMERICAN NATION
BUILDING: WAR, RACE AND CAPITALISM --- Nov. 20
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Unit III: Nov. 6 – Dec. 18 – Back (Again) to the Future
1.Mid-20th Century Liberal / Radical Left—Kramnick Anthology: Part V:
President Franklin Roosevelt (1932-1944)
Students for a Democratic Society (SDS--1962); M
Mario Savio (1964) Mills (1956, 1960)
Robert Dahl (1961)
Michael Sandel (1996)
Jerry Rubin (Yippie Manifesto--1969); Carmichael (1966),)
2. Conservative / Radical Right—Kramnick Anthology: Part V:
Pres. Herbert Hoover (1932-1941)
Milton and Rose Friedman (1980);
Irving Kristol (1973);
Young Americans for Freedom (YAF),
Whittaker Chambers (1952);
William F. Buckley Jr. (195)
Barry Goldwater (1960);
3. 21st Century Politics Since 2008 – Obama Democrats, Tea Party Republicans and
Libertarians --Online sources TBA -- The New York Times, Washington Post, .
Politico, etc.
Final Take-Home Essay Exam due the FIRST DAY day of
Final Examinations
Some rules of the game:
*No laptop computer, messaging and viewing devices may be used in this class for
any reason
*There will be no unscheduled make-up examinations in this class. Missing an
essay exam or class presentation, or submitting a late final essay, without my
specific prior permission (for an emergency which I think warrants your absence)
will result in a “0.”
*Do not arrive late. If you can’t avoid it, take a seat in the back of class, not in the
front. Do not walk out of the classroom before the class is over; and do not walk in
and out while class is in session.
*Be tolerant and respectful of classmates’ contributions to class: American values
and the way they are put into practice are controversial and generate heated debate.
That’s all to the good. Rudeness is always bad.
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