Unlocking Democracy The Philosophical principles of a Constitutional Society

T. Jefferson. Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness  Thomas Hobbes. Leviathan “The life without rule of law is the life of every man against every man which is solitary, dull brutish, nasty and short.”

Aristotle Law enhances mans stature as a moral rational being.  Rights come with responsibly. Individuals must act in a manner which preserves basic rights without infringing upon the rights of others.  “He who has the power to take part in the deliberation of judicial administration of a state is a citizen in the truest sense.”

Balancing act  Protecting minority rights in a majority rule system is a very difficult concept which few nations have accomplished.

What is Justice?  Just society  Just rule  Just government  Liberty  Freedom  Rights  Order  Virtue  Rationality

Great Civilizations Have Great Ideals  The Greeks prized involvement in the political process.  This concept more than any is critical to the American Republic.

Plato, The Republic  A just man believes in a just state and just individuals. Thus the qualities of justice are temperance, courage and wisdom…States are as men they grow out of human characters.  The aim of the state is not the disproportionate happiness of any one class but the greatest happiness of the whole.

Democracy as an Archetype. A patterning force which binds us consciously and unconsciously.  Greece 500BC Democracy means power of the people not rule of the people  Democracy is a dynamic Process of transformation. Coming together and separating

CONSTITUTIONALISM  Does man create a good and just political structure?  Does the political structure create good and just citizens?

Platonic Universalism and Aristotelian Reductionism  Plato a student of Socrates sought order from universal law, eternal laws which would provide order and govern all things.  Aristotle a student of Plato sought to reduce all things to their most elemental form and thus deduct singular natural law of man.  Both philosophers provide the foundation for the philosophers of he enlightenment. Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, Smith.

Origin of the State  Evolution Theory  Force Theory  Divine Right Theory  Social Contract Theory  Government as an extension of family  Authoritarian rule for self preservation  Linking of Church & State leaders chosen by God  Contact between individuals & government

Democritus, “Everything Is Created of Different Arrangement of Atoms.” From This reductionist Theory Ancient Greeks Sought Orderly, Rational, Government Based on Common Law Law governs nature Law governs movement of the heavens Laws of logic govern thought Laws of morality govern behavior

Plato “The Republic” Sought an Idealized Society of Enlightened Philosopher Kings to Guide Society Not Out of Ignorance but Through Reason.  DEFINE  Monarchy  Oligarchy  Tyranny  Democracy

Thomas Hobbes  Leviathan 1651 Written in exile during the Puritan War  Stressed the role of reason, social control to create a commonwealth where all could prosper  Student of the Enlightenment stressing logic and reason of hard science Bacon, Newton, Descartes, Galileo

John Locke  Two treatises of Government 1690  Written in exile during the Glorious revolution were parliament assumed power over the monarchy  Crucial to his theory is natural rights of man and the right of people to change overthrow their government if it fails to protect these rights

Jean Jacques Rousseau  Not wealthy by birth or classically trained he is the peoples philosopher arguing the need for a social contract to control the government  “Noble Savage”  It is a corrupt society which corrupts the people. A social contract stressing equality of all is essential.

Adam Smith  Wealth of Nations 1776  Government should keep its hands off the economy and the role of capitalism and self interest to promote  Pure market capitalism will create dynamic and progressive society where the drive to create products will balance out self interest.

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