American Philosophical
Ideals
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7/12/2016
Liberalism as the Mainstream of American
Political Thought
Historical Groundwork for American Liberalism
Legacies of the Age of Enlightenment
Deism and Mercantilism - Definitions
The Declaration of American Ideals
Problems of Establishing A Stable Political
Order
Wm. Feagin, Jr.
wfeagin@templejc.edu
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Liberalism as the Mainstream
of American Political Thought
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According to noted historian Louis Hartz,* through most of our national
history there have been no effective challenges to liberalism for the
hearts and minds of Americans.
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As the dominant system of political thought in American life, liberalism
sees the individual as a rational, self-interested person entitled by nature
to certain inalienable rights such as life, liberty, and property;
suggests governments are created by contracts among such individuals
to serve or protect these rights, but are otherwise limited in their
authority;
argues that rights, contracts, and limits to governmental authority
necessitate a major role for law in organizing society;
sees private striving as the best means for distributing economic or other
rewards of social life.
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7/12/2016
Wm. Feagin, Jr.
*Louis Hartz, The Liberal Tradition in America (New
York: Harcourt, Brace, & World, 1955).
wfeagin@templejc.edu
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Liberalism as the Mainstream
of American Political Thought
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The points on the preceding slide are all fundamental assumptions of classical
liberalism. They are widely held as fundamental or self-evident truths in the
American political mentality. From these assumptions flow particular values
which are shared by most Americans, even if they are not well-analyzed.
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Among the values that are held in the American (liberal) political culture are:
order
 personal achievement
liberty
 private property
 democracy
equality
 localism
justice
 capitalism
rule of law
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In American political discourse, debate occurs over how to define these values,
over how to prioritize these values when they are in conflict with one another, and
over how to pursue these values as a matter of public policy.
7/12/2016
Wm. Feagin, Jr.
wfeagin@templejc.edu
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Historical Groundwork for
American Liberalism
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The Age of Enlightenment - a
scientific and philosophical
movement of the 18th century
characterized by:
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the questioning of traditional
(conservative, organic) doctrines,
teachings, and values
the free use of reason.
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7/12/2016
Wm. Feagin, Jr.
wfeagin@templejc.edu
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Legacies of the Enlightenment
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7/12/2016
atomistic concept of society
individualism as the avenue of universal
human progress
deism as the dominant theological
orientation
capitalism’s emergence as accepted
economic doctrinaire
republicanism as the preferred form of
government
Wm. Feagin, Jr.
wfeagin@templejc.edu
Jump to first page
Deism and Mercantilism - Definitions
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Deism - a movement or system of thought advocating “natural
religion” (natural law, laws of nature, laws of the universe, laws of
the cosmos, etc) based on human reason rather than divine
revelation, emphasizing morality, and in the 18th century denying
the interference of GOD with the laws of nature
Mercantilism - economic systems developing during the rise of the
European nation-states (decay of feudalism/manorialism) intended
primarily to unify the state or increase the power and wealth of the
state through colonization and conquest and by strict government
regulation of the entire economy to secure a favorable balance of
trade, the development of agricultural and manufacturing sectors,
and the establishment of foreign trading monopolies. Economic
efforts and energies were devoted to the task of empire-building.
7/12/2016
Wm. Feagin, Jr.
wfeagin@templejc.edu
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The Declaration of American Ideals
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Natural rights - laws of nature dictate that all persons are created
with certain inalienable rights (life, liberty, and property);
Social contract theory - [1] government’s legitimate purpose is to
secure individual rights and liberties and [2] government derives its
legitimate powers from the consent of the governed;
Limited government - beyond the powers needed to secure
individual rights and liberties, government’s powers are severely
limited;
Right of revolution - if government breaks the contract, the people
have a right to establish a new system of government.
7/12/2016
Wm. Feagin, Jr.
wfeagin@templejc.edu
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Problems Establishing a Stable Political
Order
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Articles of Confederation
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Because each STATE was sovereign, state constitutions, not the
Articles, determined the kinds of governments Americans lived
under;
Amendments to the Articles required the unanimous approval of all
13 states;
States reserved the exclusive power to tax;
Many states issued their own currencies;
There was no separate national executive branch;
Congress was unicameral with each STATE having one vote.
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7/12/2016
Wm. Feagin, Jr.
wfeagin@templejc.edu
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