POLI 2342 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Alexis De Tocqueville, Gettysburg Address
Questions to Understand throughout American Political Thought!
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1) since all men are not equally capable of making sound decisions, it seems reasonable that
some should rule!
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2) should poor and wealthy vote equally? -> its likely that poor people won't be able to govern
together!
maybe 2 legislative branches, maybe voter restriction!◦
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3) slavery -> is it natural or an offense against God's law?!
not all people saw one side or the other as dominant, this argument is important!◦
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4) should women have the opportunity to vote? -> this question will have very important
consequences throughout American history!
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5) is universal suffrage a good or bad idea?!
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6) are principles of self-government applicable on the scale of a continent?!
colonial powers were gone in the 18th century!◦
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How to govern a great state was a central theme****!
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the constitutional generation was tasked with seeing if a great state could be a free state!•
Tocqueville -> Americans saw that they by necessity has to create a great state (powerful) and •
free!
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all great states before ended up in the hands of tyrants!•
The US successes in doing this -> reflection upon this in the 1830s, to what extend is this ◦
true?!
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How should a great state govern itself to be powerful and free at the same time?
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3 Facts that shape this debate!•
1) colonies were self governing for the early 17th century to the British attempt after the ◦
French and Indian War!
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2) declaration of independence set out an American political creed, linked this creed to the ◦
country's founding!
constitution is not just a document but a declaration of political faith!‣
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3) constitutional gave written form of government and body to defend it, a country ◦
founded on words!
as important as a revolutionary army!‣
visible constitution in documents and court decision, nothing happens without a ‣
proclamation or statement!
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debate in future would be legislative and narrow!•
meaning of the constitution and sympathetic to go beyond constitution!•
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