Term
| Importance of “Founding” Moments |
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Definition
Founding: a conscious, deliberate act of creating a system of government.
• “Foundings” do not occur very often
• But what are our ongoing responsibilities? |
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Term
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Definition
“Foundings” ask us to reflect on fundamental questions
• Who should rule?
• What is a citizen?
• How much power should government have?
• How much (and what kind) of liberty should citizens have?
• What values should a government foster? |
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Term
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Definition
| “We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty, to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.” |
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Term
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Definition
| A conscious, deliberate act of creating a system of government. |
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Term
| What concerns or problems might we face when deciding what kind of system of government to create? |
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Definition
We need to cooperate. • But our interests conflict.
• We want freedom.
• But not anarchy (so we need some order). |
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Term
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Definition
the chaotic expression of individual
or small group will. • It will generate fear of disorder. |
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Term
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Definition
the organized expression of the will of an individual or small group.
• It will generate fear of the state or the dictator. |
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Term
| The Psychology of Regime Change |
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Definition
| Anarchy engenders a desire for order. |
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Term
| The Psychology of Regime Change |
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Definition
When anarchy is widespread, people will often accept repression or tyranny in search of order.
• The desire for order introduces the concept of sovereignty. |
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Term
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Definition
| Ultimatepoliticalpowerwithina jurisdiction; having the “final say” |
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Term
| Sovereignty need not be benevolent |
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Definition
| A tyrant or dictator often goes to extremes in order to maintain power. |
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Term
| Revolution Is Not the End |
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Definition
“You get past that first euphoric, very dramatic stage. The leader is toppled. People have been so united against a hated figure, and that’s when things start to get tough.”
~ Ann Cooper, Journalist, Professor at Columbia University |
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Term
| The Human Predicament Cycle |
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Definition
| Tyranny->Revolution->Anarchy->Competing Groups->All over again |
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Term
| What Is the Good Society? |
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Definition
Notice we have already assumed liberty and stability are important.
• We can also probably agree on other abstractions such as:
• Health • Prosperity • Education |
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Term
| Human Nature and Government |
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Definition
| Our design of government or of any social structure follows from our assumptions about human nature. |
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Term
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Definition
| actions are motivated solely by concern for our (or our family’s) well-being. |
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Term
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Definition
| we consider the effect of our actions on others (community, nation, world) as well as our own interests. Often associated with communitarian ways of thinking about government and society. |
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Term
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Definition
Self-control through public virtue
• Coercion by government to control self- interest
• Structure institutions to use self-interest for the common good |
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Term
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Definition
Motivations should not be confused with outcomes.
• Self-interest may lead to good outcomes.
• Public virtue may lead to bad outcomes.
• It seems plausible that in the design of government, outcomes could be judged independently of motivations. |
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Term
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Definition
| Assumptions about human nature are critical as we seek to answer the core question: How can we design a government that resolves conflicting interests and fosters beneficial cooperation while maintaining order and liberty? |
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