Readings

The readings regarding the Philosophical Foundations of American Government featured John Locke, the father of European Liberalism. In the United States, all of the framers of the Constitution favored this form of classical liberalism. Both modern day democrats and republicans ascribe to this liberal tradition. However, eventually, there was a schism between these liberals, out of which grew the modern democrat and republican parties of today. The 18th-century British statesman, Edmund Burke, is sometimes known in Anglo-American politics as the first conservative. In A Vindication of Natural Society(1756), Burke espoused ordered liberty, respect for transcendent morality, and traditions and wisdom that served society well over time. He believed these values should be preserved within a constitution that could not be changed by mere temporal whim. These principles could change over time, but only by the consent of the governed. Like John Locke, he believed in natural law. He believed that government is responsible to the governed, and that governments were trustees for previous generations and posterity. Burke held that the will of the majority should not act tyrannically over minorities. He opposed taxation without representation over the American colonies and onerous British imperialism in India. Burke believed that Britain should work fairly with its colonies and seek diplomacy, conciliation, and cooperation.

Burke wrote Reflections on the Revolution in France (1790), after the massive death and destruction caused by the French Revolution, wherein radical mobs executed the monarchs, aristocrats, church leaders, and middle class businessmen who disagreed with them. Burke argued that radical change was dangerous because people become a "mere multitude told by their leader." Power became arbitrary and the consequences of revolution usually ended up in some kind of dictatorship, which is exactly what happened after the French Revolution when Napoleon Bonaparte became emperor. Similar things would later happen in Russia and other countries. By destroying the old order, the Revolutionaries argued they were acting on behalf of the people when, in fact, they were acting on behalf of themselves. This ended up in a worse form of arbitrary power. Burke argued that no single generation has the right to destroy the inherited fabric of society.

The word "conserve" means to "keep or maintain." Because Burke was an 18th century Englishman, he supported the evolution of democratic institutions, but also wanted to keep the traditional British monarchy. He he believed that a strong constitution would check the power of both monarchs and parliament. In the United States today, Conservatives do not want to keep or maintain a monarch because that is not an American institution. In fact, Americans fled the British system to establish their own. Modern conservatives want to keep and maintain American traditions and Institutions.

Readings

Traditional European Conservatives believed in Constitutional Monarchy. That means rule by a King or Queen, but such a leader must be accountable to a written constitution. They believe in aristocracies and "nobless oblige," which is the obligation of the aristocrats to provide for the poor. They believed in a government run Church to keep people morally virtuous.

Traditional European Liberals and the American founders believed that monarchies, aristocracies, and government churces were prone to tyranny. They favored liberty and democracy. People should be free to work at what they choose and believe whatever they want as long as their freedoms did not collide with the freedoms of others. The people should rule through elections, not kings, aristocrats, guilds, or churches.

There is no straight line from the first political parties in the United Stated to the current ones. The cultural framework and issues that concerned the framers of the Constitution were in some ways similar to today, but in many ways were quite different. I will explain the following outline in class, and I hope it will be useful for studying for an exam on this question. To be clear, even though this outline may be helpful, you should not conclude that the modern Republican party is a direct descendant from the early Federalist party. Nor should you conclude that that the modern Democratic party is a direct descendent from the anti-federalist party.

Federaliststhe party of business--strong central government with uniform commercial rules and taxes for infrastructure--Whigsurban areas to bring together coal, iron, workers, business leaders, universities, financial institutionsfavor tariffs to protect domestic manufacturing against foreign imports-Free Soilers---North and west should be reserved for free white men-literate, educated, math, science, accountants, managers who can develop a prosperous modern economy---oppose spread of primitive slave system into North and West-- RepublicansLincoln---Reagan Revolution-reaction against the 60's generation--farmers and rural voters leave democratic party and join republicans for traditional moral values-traditional Christianity--pro-lifepro traditional marriage, anti-drug legalization--Trump Revolutionauto, steel, heavy manufacturing, mining labor union members leave democratic party to join republicans due to job lossoutsourcing, automation, oppose "War on Coal and Petroleum" and climate change policies that put Americans out of jobsfavor traditional capitalist free markets-oppose high taxes and regulations that strangle businessnow favor state and local rule against "federal tyranny."

Anti-federalistsfarmers-rural populationbelief in traditional American Dreamto own a home and land to farm- favor state and local ruleincludes both slave owners and poor farmers--oppose high taxes and tariffsDemocratsincreasingly the party of the South which has great farmland, but little manufacturingfavor expansion of slaverylose the Civil WardevastatedBy 1900 regain power by coalition building and co-opting Populist and Progressive movementsadd farmers, factory workers, and small businessmen from around the country to promote farm subsidies, income taxes on wealthy merchants, minimum wages, 8 hour workdays, safety equipment, break up monopolies to restore free market, etc.The Great Depression & The New Dealwork programs and social programs to help those in needfarmers join for subsidies, labor unions join for labor laws, middle class join for job programs--college intellectuals join as "social engineers who can "fix" societal problemsBlacks leave party of Lincoln for Democrat social programsregulate free market to prevent another Depressioncreate enormous federal bureaucracy to control many aspects of American life1960's LBJ's War on Poverty/Great Society Programs to increase social programs for the poor--the Civil Rights Movement for blacks, women, and minoritiesco-opt anti-War movement-- co-opt younger generations values of free love, marijuana, alternative ways of thinking/livingthe Environmental Movement-adopt climate change policies, move away from fossil fuels.

Questions

1. What was the diffeence between the federalists and ant-federalists?

2. Explain how the federalists evolved.

3. Explain how the anti-federalists evolved.

4. What do modern American Conservatives believe?

5. What do modern American liberals believe?