The Election of 1912 Theodore Roosevelt Woodrow Wilson William Howard Taft

Democratic Candidate: Woodrow Wilson New Freedom Platform: Regulate all corporations (All are “Bad”) New strong anti-trust laws Banking & currency regulations Federal income tax Direct election of senators Independence for the Philippines

Republican Candidate: President William Howard Platform: Protective tariff Civil Service Protection Conservation of Natural Resources Restriction of immigration

Progressive (“Bull Moose”) Party Candidate: President Theodore Roosevelt New Nationalism Platform: Women’s suffrage Minimum wage for women 8-hour work day Social Security System National Health Care Regulation of business Ease in amending the Constitution Pro-Union tariffs

The 1912 Election Results

Wilson as President Founding Fathers’ Position Human nature is unchanging. Man’s ultimate motivation is self-interest. There is a permanent standard for what is right and wrong. Power of the government is a threat to individual liberty and thus must be limited. Woodrow Wilson’s Position Human nature is evolving…progressing. The only valid knowledge is scientifically based knowledge. Govt is no threat, and ought to be the organ of individualism. Govt is not grounded on unchanging truths, but should instead evolve to meet historical circumstances.

Wilson’s Governing Philosophy *As the only nationally elected official, the president represented the “national will”. Wilson was cynical about the separation of powers. Favored the British Parliamentary System, with a Prime Minister who was not just an executive, but the legislative leader as well *Why did the Founding Fathers create the US system of government the way they did? The separation of powers impeded genuine democracy. Thought it was inefficient and prevented government from solving the problems of modern life in a coordinated way. Favored a transition from politics to administration To Wilson, experts were better suited to make policy, not elected representatives

To Wilson, politics and administration must be separate. Implies the consent of the governed. To Wilson, politics and administration must be separate. Disparages politics and moves focal point away from consent of the governed into the hands of experts and the creation of bureaucracy.