American PoliticalTheory

© 2005 James L. Smith

SIX RECURRING ISSUES IN POLITICAL HISTORY

1. Should federal power override state and local power?

2. Should the needs of the community outweigh the rights of the individual?

3. To what extent should minority rights be protected in a system based on majority rule?

4. To what extent are all people created equal?

5. What limits, if any, should be placed on private property?

6. What ideas best define the United States?

Classical Liberalism

• a political and social philosophy that stresses • humans’ rational nature • freest expression of individual development• progress, change, basic goodness of folks,• and ability to direct their own affairs

through constitutional political action.

Classical Conservatism

• Conservatism is the general opposition to change in institutions or practices within a society.

• Emphasizes value of experience, tradition and virtue in governance.

• “Classical liberalism argues for freedom, that we should do as we please as long as we do not harm others.

• Classical conservatism points out that some of the things we can do with that freedom are very much better than others.”

• T. Patrick Burke

Liberal vs Conservative

The First Political Party System

1787-1820

Origins

Leaders

• A. Hamilton• John Adams

• Thomas Jefferson• James Madison

For more info…

• Please don’t make analogies to our modern day parties; the Federalists died out in 1816, while today’s modern Democratic Party formed in 1828. Our modern Republican party formed in 1854.

• Download the handy-dandy reference chart for a quick comparison of our first two political parties.