GVPT 170 American Government and Politics in a Global Era ORIGINS OF AMERICAN POLITICAL PRINCIPLES AND AMERICAN EXCEPTIONALISM January 30, 2006

AMERICA IS A CONSERVATIVE NATION WITH LIBERAL VALUES WHY CONSERVATIVE? FRAGMENTED NATURE OF US POLITICAL SYSTEM WHY LIBERAL? HISTORY AND TRADITIONS

WHAT ARE AMERICA’S CLASSICAL LIBERAL VALUES? INDIVIDUALISM FREEDOM CAPITALISM EQUALITY RULE OF LAW DEMOCRACY DIVERSITY

‘CONSERVING LIBERALISM’ CONSTITUTIONAL DESIGN GEOGRAPHY AND NATURAL RESOURCES UNEVEN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT RACISM ETHNIC AND RELIGIOUS DIVISIONS STATE REPRESSION

AMERICAN POLITICAL THOUGHT: A MAZE OF CONTRADICTIONS Capitalist v Anticapitalist Pragmatic v Absolutist Optimistic v Pessimistic Materialist v Idealist Individualist v Conformist Freedom v Equality Oriented Global v Insular

AMERICAN POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT Unique Nature: American exceptionalism A Tradition of Classical Liberalism America was a ‘nation’ before a ‘state’ Leadership of the Founding Brothers An evolving process A conflictual process A process compromised by political fragmentation???

AMERICANISM: POLITICAL PRINCIPLES AND THEMES SHAPED BY WESTERN TRADITIONS A MAZE OF CONTRADICTIONS AMERICAN IDEOLOGY IS INSULAR AMERICA IS A CONSERVATIVE NATION AMERICANISM IS LIBERALISM EXCEPTIONALISM HAS ITS PERILS

GVPT 170 American Government and Politics in a Global Era THE UNIFINISHED REVOLUTION, NATIONBUILDING AND THE U.S. CONSTITUTION February 1, 2006

LECTURE THEMES *AMERICAN EXCEPTIONALISM AND THE LACK OF A FEUDAL TRADITION *THE UNFINISHED REVOLUTION *PRE-CONSTITUTION: IMMENSE POLITICAL AUTHORITY IN STATES & LOCALITIES *A DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC: SOLUTION TO PRESERVE FREEDOM AND EQUALITY *LEADERSHIP FAILURES IN PHILADELPHIA

AMERICAN EXCEPTIONALISM ‘CITY ON THE HILL’ AND THE ‘NEW WORLD’ AS BLESSED DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE AS THE PROMISE OF EQUALITY (Lincoln, Martin L.King Jr.,T.Marshall) AMERICAN DREAM: PEOPLE JUDGED NOT BY ACCIDENT OF BIRTH

The Unfinished Revolution *Change in governance *Traditions of classical liberalism and localism intact *Unsettled political conflicts represented by the split between Federalists and Anti-Federalists *Conflicts escalated into Civil War ( ) *Some issues remain unresolved

THE FRAMERS AND A ‘NEW SCIENCE OF POLITICS’ No relevant model of republican governance Differing views- what is a ‘good republic’ A Big Victory for the Federalists Consensus was key Federalists controlled the agenda Slavery protected by 3 clauses

AMERICAN POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT

AMERICANISM: POLITICAL PRINCIPLES AND THEMES SHAPED BY WESTERN TRADITIONS A MAZE OF CONTRADICTIONS AMERICAN IDEOLOGY IS INSULAR AMERICA IS A CONSERVATIVE NATION AMERICANISM IS LIBERALISM EXCEPTIONALISM HAS ITS PERILS

GVPT 170 American Government and Politics in a Global Era Analyzing American Political Beliefs February 6, 2006

CENTRAL THEMES HAMILTONIAN V JEFFERSONIAN MODELS OF POLITICAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROCEDURAL V SUBSTANTIVE DEMOCRACY

Hamiltonian Model of Political Development Manufacturing-based economy Activist government Elite orientation Expansion of the national government

Jeffersonian Model of Political Development Agriculturally-based economy Importance of the small farmer Confidence in the ordinary citizen State and local governmental control

AMERICAN POLITICAL LEADERSHIP FROM FDR TO CLINTON: CONSENSUS Hamiltonian: public needs best met in context of a healthy business climate Jeffersonian: Ordinary citizen’s needs take precedence in a good society

PROCEDURAL V SUBSTANTIVE DEMOCRACY Early 20 th century conflicts far from resolved Changes in economy led to demands for expansion of procedural democracy Growing inequalities: Abolition, Suffragist, Workers, Farmers, Early Civil Rights Movements Without the ‘means” cannot achieve “the ends of democracy” Major role of federal courts in the expansion of procedural rights

INDIVIDUALISM: A FUNDAMENTAL AMERICAN BELIEF Very deep cultural commitment Individual as the starting point Some limits placed Contentious Contradictory Continuing subject of disagreement

PROPERTY: A FUNDAMENTAL POLITICAL BELIEF Meaning has changed over time Jeffersonian: owning land central to citzenship Hamiltonian: ownership broader Conflict over forms of property Legacy: government subsidizes home ownership Legacy: Americans threatened by government ownership Legacy: no real workers movement today

CONTRACTS AND LAW: AMERICAN BELIEFS Contract as an embodiment of higher law Public and private life U.S. Constitution is a contract Contracts basis of daily transactions Contentious: neutrality of the law Individualism, Property, Contracts support capitalism

FREEDOM AND EQUALITY AS COMPLEMENTARY AND CONTENTIOUS BELIEFS Freedom as the absence of restraints Equality as entitlements Conflicts -Political equality impinges on freedom -Freedom leads to inequalities -Resentment over equality of opportunity -Utopian idea of equality and safety net