A Brief History
AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS – Historical Background
THE GREEKS
PLATO
424 – 348 B.C.
Believed in rule
by “Philosopher Kings”
AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS – Historical Background
THE GREEKS
Key to good government is the
harmonious ordering of classes:
- Philosophers, because of
superior intellect, rule
- Soldiers fight & defend
- Farmers & artisans provide
necessities of life
AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS – Historical Background
THE GREEKS
Plato’s Types of Government:
Aristocracy
Government by the best
Oligarchy
Government by the rich & lovers of money
Democracy
Government by the many
AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS – Historical Background
THE GREEKS
Plato believed that Democracy . . .
Was unstable and would degenerate into
Tyranny
AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS – Historical Background
THE GREEKS
ARISTOTLE
384 – 322 B.C.
Created a
classification of
types of Government
AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS – Historical Background
ARISTOTLE’S CLASSIFICATIONS
Number
Ruling
ONE
FEW
MANY
Rule according
to Common Good
Monarchy
(virtuous ruler)
Aristocracy
(virtuous few)
Polity
(Constitutional)
Rule motivated by
Self-Interest
Tyranny
(lawless person)
Oligarchy
(rich & noble)
Democracy
(poor & free)
AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS – Historical Background
THE GREEKS
Aristotle believed that the most practical
governmental system was the POLITY . . .
a mixture of . . . Democracy & Oligarchy
under a Constitution
AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS – Historical Background
THE BIG FOUR
Major political thinkers arose in Europe
during the 1600’s & 1700’s, a time now
known as . . .
The Age of Enlightenment
Some of these philosophers had a major
impact on the formation of our government.
AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS – Historical Background
THE BIG FOUR: #1
THOMAS HOBBES
1651
Leviathan
AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS – Historical Background
THE BIG FOUR: #1
In a state of nature,
humans were in a constant
“war of each against all . . .
in continual fear and danger”
and life of man was
“solitary, poor, nasty, brutish
and short”.
AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS – Historical Background
THE BIG FOUR: #1
According to Hobbes:
People came up with a way of creating order out
of chaos . . .
The Social Contract
In exchange for order, individuals would surrender
all their natural rights to an absolute monarch . . .
Which would be the best form of government
AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS – Historical Background
THE BIG FOUR: #2
JOHN LOCKE
1689
The Second
Treatise of
Civil Government
AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS – Historical Background
THE BIG FOUR: #2
Believed humans were
moral, competent & intelligent.
Asserted that “Natural Law”
applied to all equally . . .
Each person owed respect
and consideration to all.
AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS – Historical Background
THE BIG FOUR: #2
Locke also believed:
People could not be truly free unless allowed to
accumulate private property.
People are basically good, and in a natural state
“peace, good will, mutual assistance, and
preservation” would prevail.
AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS – Historical Background
THE BIG FOUR: #2
However, Locke did recognize 2 problems:
People are not perfect and . . .
- some might take advantage of others, and
- even without malice, some conflicts would occur.
Therefore . . . need for a Social Contract to
create a Government to protect the rights of All.
AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS – Historical Background
THE BIG FOUR: #2
According to Locke:
This led to conclusion that no person had the
moral right to govern another without . . .
Consent of the governed.
A Social Contract exists between the people and
the government . . .
and Rulers can only govern with popular consent.
AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS – Historical Background
THE BIG FOUR: #3
Baron de Montesquieu
1748
The Spirit
of the Laws
AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS – Historical Background
THE BIG FOUR: #3
Argued that a system of Laws
must ensure personal security.
Accordingly, government should
be prevented from exercising
too much power.
AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS – Historical Background
THE BIG FOUR: #2
According to de Montesquieu:
Critical to limiting government power are . . .
- Separation of Powers of parts of Government
- Checks and Balances between these parts
- Laws to ensure individual rights & freedoms
AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS – Historical Background
THE BIG FOUR: #4
Jean-Jacques Rousseau
1762
The Social
Contract
AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS – Historical Background
THE BIG FOUR: #4
Man was born free.
And everywhere he is in chains.
Believed in a
“Collective Sovereignty” . . .
that the power to make laws and
rule over a land and people
belonged to the “General Will”.
AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS – Historical Background
THE AGE OF ENLIGHTENMENT
Isaac Newton
1687
“Principia”
Mathematical
Principles of
Natural
Philosophy
AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS – Historical Background
THE AGE OF ENLIGHTENMENT
By proving that the universe is
governed by mathematically
proven “laws of nature”,
he laid the foundation for other
philosophers to break from past
ways of thinking.
AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS – Historical Background
THE AGE OF ENLIGHTENMENT
A government is not free to do
as it pleases.
The law of nature,
as revealed by Newton,
stands as an eternal
rule to all men.
~ John Locke
AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS – Historical Background
And all of this laid
the foundation for
AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS – Historical Background