Foundations of American Democracy

1) Big Ideas

  • limited government

    • restrictions on what rulers can do

  • natural rights

    • all men are born free and equal

    • no one should harm another (life, health, possessions, liberty)

      • there are ways to take away liberty, like jail, but there are rights to lawyers, trial, and appeal to protect oneself

    • can’t be subjected to political power without consent

  • popular sovereignty

    • power of the people, consent of the governed

  • republicanism

    • people elect representatives who are responsible to make and carry out laws

    • opposite: direct democracy (everybody participates in everything)

  • social contract

    • Jean Jacques Rousseau’s idea (The Social Contract, 1762)

    • free individuals give up certain rights in return for collective security

      • results in greater freedom for all

        • ex: being searched at an airport > freedom to fly

2) The Beginning

  • Declaration of Independence

    • foundation of popular sovereignty

    • Locke’s belief on natural law

      • obligated people to rebel against rulers who violated the consent of the governed

      • bedrock for Declaration and the Revolution

        • moral and legal justification for action

  • American’s 2 Party System

    • federalists: Alexander H; wealthy merchants, landowners; strong national government > weak state governments; government of the elite; bill of rights unnecessary

    • anti-federalists: Thomas Jefferson; laborers, small farmers; called democratic-republicans; strong state governments > weak national government; government of the common man; protection for individual liberties necessary (bill of rights)

  • The Federalist Papers

    • 85 essays

    • author: Publius (James M, ALexnader H, John Jay)

    • intended audience: citizens of NY

    • purpose: encourage ratification of the Constitution

    • dates: Fall of 1787 — Spring of 1788

  • Federalist 10

    • claim: the Constitution has designed a representative republic to control the effects of factions (interest groups)

      • can’t be stopped, so must be controlled

      • minority factions can’t take control of a republican government

      • majority factions will be controlled by representative government and the size and population of the country that lends itself to pluralism

  • Brutus 1

    • claim 1: the confederation system was dismantled by the Constitution and the federal system replacing it left the states powerless

    • claim 2: the country is too big to be united under a republic

      • Montesquieu

    • claim 3: people can’t trust a republic government that large

3) Models of Democracy

  • Participatory Democracy

    • Direct Democracy = people vote on laws directly

    • broad participation in politics and civil society

  • Pluralist Democracy

    • Interest Groups influence government decisions/policy-making

  • Elite Democracy

    • elected representatives act as trustees for the voters

      • emphasizes limited participation

      • power for few and often wealthy

  • Federalist 10 vs Brutus 1

    • Federalist 10

      • favored elite democracy

      • didn’t trust the majority rule

      • factions are inevitable; construct a government to control them

      • protection of property is the government’s main purpose

    • Brutus 1

      • feared pluralist and elite democracy

      • republic would morph into power held by a corrupt few

      • people’s voices are better heard by representatives who know them personally

      • participatory democracy

  • Representative Democracy in the US Today

    • Participatory

      • protests, petitions, town hall, initiatives, voting, referendums

    • Pluralist

      • 2 major parties, interest groups

    • Elite

      • electing wealthy members of Congress, Electoral College

4) AOC Weaknesses and Constitutional Convention

  • Articles of Confederation

    • no: tax people directly, regulate commerce, create/maintain an army, president, national court

  • Shay’s Rebellion

    • caused the need for a more effective government

  • Great (Connecticut) Compromise

    • Bicameral legislature created

    • HOR by population (>= 1)

  • Senate by 2 members per state

  • 📌 federalist 51: checks and balances, separation of powers

  • Electoral College

    • body to choose president; Georgia has 16

    • number of electors (members) = number of Congressmen

    • states decide how to choose their delegates and who are sent to the Electoral College

  • 3/5 Compromise

    • when counting population for representation in the House, only 3 out of every 5 slaves would be counted/credited

  • Compromise on the Importation of Slaves

    • Congress couldn’t interfere with slave trade until 1808

  • The Constitution

    • blueprint, rulebook, for American Democracy

    • under the leadership of George Washington

    • Grand Committee

      • George Mason, William Paterson, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman

  • 7 Articles

  1. Let > Legislative

  2. Every > Executive

  3. Jogger > Judicial

  4. Run > Relations Among States

  5. A > Amending Process

  6. Speedy > Supremacy Clause

  7. Race > Ratification (9.17.1787)

  • Article 5 (Amending the Constitution)