American political thought final

Helen Kendrick Johnson - “women and the republic”

argued against women’s suffrage

believed women already had moral influence in society without voting

thought politics would corrupt women’s purity

saw traditional gender roles as natural and beneficial

→ core idea: women do not need political power because they already shape society indirectly

Charlotte Perkins Gilman - “the yellow wallpaper”

use a woman’s mental breakdown to show oppression

the narrator is controlled by her husband (doctor) → symbolizes patriarchy

the wallpaper represents trapped women in society

rest cure vs west cure

rest cure: isolation, no intellectual activity → reinforces oppression

west cure: freedom, movement, independence → symbolic liberation

Jane Addams - “If Men Were Seeking the Franchise”

women deserve voting rights/ voting is not symbolic - it is practical power

not opposed to male suffrage

advocated women’s suffrage

if men lacked rights, they would demand them immediately

believed women voting would improve social reform (education, labor, poverty)

Franklin D. Roosevelt - Commonwealth Club Address

government must step in to regulate the economy

laissez-faire capitalism has failed

ex. the Great Depression proves markets do not self correct

New Deal Programs

Ralph J. Bunche - “A Critical Analysis of the Tactics and Programs of Minority Groups”

minority groups need organized, strategic political action

emotional protest alone is ineffective

Black Americans are not a minority because race is socially constructed, and Black labor and culture is central to the US

A Philip Randolph - March on Washington Keystone Address

direct action can force government change

demanded: jobs & fair wages, and ends to discrimination in defense industry

pressure works: threat of a mass march pushed FDR to ban discrimination in defense industries

“threat of protest = real policy change”

Huey P. Long - “Every Man A King”

extreme wealth inequality must be eliminated

cap incomes, guarantee: minimum income, free education

“Share Our Wealth” - radical redistribution

more extreme than FDRs New Deal

Reinhold Niebuhr - “The Children of Light and the Children of Darkness”

humans are flawed → power must be checked

democracy balances morality and realism

democracy exists because: the children of light are right about morality BUT then children of darkness are right about power SO we need idealism (light) to guide us AND rules/ checks (dark awareness) to prevent abuse

children of light

people who are moral, idealistic, and believe in cooperation

they trust others and think society can work through reason and goodwill

they support democracy because they believe people can act justly

→ weakness: they are often too naive and underestimate selfishness and power struggles

→ ex. people like MLK Jr. - strong moral vision, belief in justice and nonviolence

children of darkness

people who are self interested, power driven, and realistic (or cynical)

they understand how to gain and use power effectively

they are willing to manipulate or dominate to get what they want

→ strength: they are often more politically effective because they understand power

→ ex. hard nosed politicians who prioritize winning and control over moral ideals

Martin Luther King Jr. - I Have A Dream Speech

racial equality through nonviolence and integration

America must fulfill its founding promises

“promissory note” - America owes Black citizens rights

→ tone: hopeful, moral appeal

Malcolm X - The Ballot or the Bullet

Black Americans must gain power “by any means necessary”

self defense + political control

if voting fails, more radical action is justified

black separatism depends on idealized unity + independence

Betty Friedan - “The Feminine Mystique”

the “mystique" = idea that women should find fulfillment in domestic life only

the problem that has no name

leads to lack of identity, purpose, and growth

Kate Millet - “Sexual Politics”

patriarchy is a system of male dominance in all institutions

still relevant because: gender inequality persists, power structures still skew male

→ stronger than Friedan: no just dissatisfaction - systemic oppression

students for democratic society - the port huron statement

expand participatory democracy

people (especially youth) feel alienated from politics

critique inequality, bureaucracy

Lyndon B. Johnson - Remarks at the University of Michigan

government should actively fight poverty and inequality

responds to port huron statement with reforms: civil rights act, and war on poverty → institutional response to activist pressure

→ extension of FDR: bigger government role

Ronald Reagan - First Inaugural Address

government is the problem, not the solution

reduce government, cut taxes

→ direct contrast: rejects FDR/LBJ style liberalism

Richard John Neuhaus - What the Fundamentalists Want

religious conservatives want influence in politics (ex. issues like abortion, school prayer)

feel oppressed by secular society

moral/religious identity central

→ key idea: religion is less dominant publicly, and needs to re-enter public life

Michael Walzer - What Does It Mean To Be An American?

America is a liberal society focused on individual rights

not republican because: less emphasis on civic duty

pluralism + individual rights

Thomas Sowell - Civil Rights: Rhetoric or Reality?

government programs do not always help minorities

emphasis on personal responsibility

economic + efficiency critique

→ conservative critique of liberal policy

Cornel West - Race Matters

racism is structural and ongoing (ex. economic inequality tied to race)

moral + structural critique

→ opposes Sowell view

Thurgood Marshall - Bicentennial Speech

the constitution is flawed but can improve (ex. originally excluded Black Americans)

→ critical patriotism (not blind pride)

Irving Kristol - The Neoconservative Persuasion

combine free markets with traditional values

→ bridge ideology: between liberalism and conservatism

promotes democracy abroad, strong military, and moral clarity in foreign policy

Noam Chomsky - Understanding Power

elites shape media and public opinion (ex. media filters what people think is “normal”)

US foreign policy driven by: economic + strategic interests

hidden power structures

three approaches to black liberation

1. interrogationist

2. seperationist

3. class-conscious (interracial)

integrationist

goal: inclusion in existing society

ex. MLK, Bunche

separationist

goals: independent black institutions

ex. Malcolm X

class-conscious (interracial)

focus: economic inequality across races

ex. Randolph

black panther party

socialist + community programs

black empowerment, self defense