Chapter 1: Constitutional Democracy

The Federalist, No. 51, James Madison

"Ambition must be made to counteract ambition." "If men were angels, no government would be necessary. If angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls on government would be necessary."

Respect for the individual

A belief that every individual has the potential for common sense, rationality, and fairness. Individuals have important rights; collectively, those rights are the source of all legitimate governmental authority and power.

Government by the people requires faith concerning our common human enterprise.

A belief that if the people are informed and caring, they can be trusted with their own self-government and an optimism that when things begin to go wrong, the people can be relied on to set them right.

Constitutional democracy is necessarily government by representative politicians.

A central feature of democracy is that those who hold power do so only by winning a free election.

Ideology

A consistent pattern of beliefs about political values and the role of government.

Constitutional Convention

A meeting in Philadelphia (1787) dedicated to devise such provisions as shall appear to them necessary to render the Constitution of the Federal Government adequate to the exigencies of the Union.

Annapolis Convention

A meeting on problems of trade and navigation attended by delegates from five states to issue a call for a convention that would have full authority to consider basic amendments to the Articles of Confederation.

Virginia Plan

A resolution that called for a strong central government with a legislature composed of two chambers where the members of the more representative chamber were to be elected by the voters; those of the smaller and more aristocratic chamber were to be chosen by the larger chamber from nominees submitted by the state legislatures.

Free and fair elections

Although all citizens should have equal voting power, free and fair elections do not imply that everyone must or will have equal political influence. But in an election, each citizen casts only one vote.

Plurality

Candidate or party with the most votes cast in an election, not necessarily more than half.

Three-fifths compromise

Compromise agreement between northern and southern states that three-fifths of the slave population would be counted for determining direct taxation and representation in the House of Representatives.

Connecticut Compromise

Compromise agreement by states for a bicameral legislature with a lower house in which representation would be based on population and an upper house in which each state would have two senators.

Social conditions

Democracy is more likely to survive in a nation where the people have acquired democratic habits and are inclined to participate in social, cultural, and civic groups. Democratic social capital is generated when there are a rich variety of associations and social institutions that bind people together.

Elements of constitutional democracy

FEDERALISM, the division of powers between the national and state governments. SEPARATION OF POWERS among the legislative, executive, and judicial branches. CHECKS AND BALANCES in which each branch is given the constitutional means, the political independence, and the motives to check the powers of the other branches. And a judicially enforceable, written, explicit BILL OF RIGHTS that provides a guarantee of individual liberties and due process before the law.

Freedom of expression

Free and fair elections depend on access to information relevant to voting choices where voters must have access to facts, competing ideas, and the views of candidates. Without speech, there are no free and fair elections; there wouldn't be a democracy.

Majority rule

Governance according to the expressed preferences of the majority.

Theocracy

Government by religious leaders, who claim divine guidance.

Democracy

Government by the people, either directly or indirectly, with free and frequent elections.

Direct democracy

Government in which citizens vote on laws and select officials more directly.

Representative democracy

Government that derives its powers indirectly from the people, who elect those who will govern; also called a republic.

Shays' Rebellion

Important because it highlighted the need for a strong national government just as the call for the Constitutional Convention went out.

The right to assemble and protest

Individuals can be more effective if they join with others in a party, a pressure group, a protest movement, or a demonstration. The right to oppose the government, to form opposition parties, and to have a chance of defeating incumbents is more than vital; it is a defining characteristic of a democracy.

Constitutional democracy

It is a government in which there are recognized, enforced limits on the powers of all governmental officials.

Antifederalists

Opponents of ratification of the Constitution and of a strong central government generally because the previous constitution gave the states more authority.

Social capital

Participation in voluntary associations that reinforce democratic and civic habits of discussion, compromise, and respect for differences.

Supremacy clause

Required all judges, from both state and national, to treat laws of the national government and the treaties of the U.S as superior to the constitutions and laws of each of the states.

The Federalist

Series of essays promoting ratification of the constitution, published anonymously by Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison.

Federalists

Supporters of ratification of the constitution whose position promoting a strong central government.

Democratic values in conflict

The American political system has moved, despite occasional setbacks, toward greater freedom and more democracy. Indeed, "the global range and influence of democratic ideas, institutions, and practices has made [the twentieth century] far and away the most flourishing period for democracy."

Majority

The candidate or party that wins more than half the votes cast in an election.

Balanced Government

The idea of a national government in which no single interest would dominate. This was the only form seriously considered and the only form acceptable to the nation.

Popular consent

The idea that a just government must derive its powers from the consent of the people it governs. A commitment to popular consent must involve a willingness to lose when most people vote the other way.

Statism

The idea that the rights of the nation are supreme over the rights of the individuals residing in that nation.

Equality of opportunity

The importance of the individual is enhanced by the democratic value of equality: "All men are created equal and from that equal creation they derive rights inherent and unalienable, among which are the preservation of liberty and the pursuit of happiness."

Personal Liberty

The individual's freedom and capacity to act positively to reach his or her goals.

New Jersey Plan

The resolution, proposed by Willliam Paterson of New Jersey, that gave Congress the right to tax and regulate commerce and to coerce states, and it would retain the single-house unicameral legislature in which each state, regardless of size, would have the same vote.

Constitutionalism

The set of arrangements -checks and balances, federalism, separation of powers, rule of law, due process, a bill of rights- that requires leaders to listen, think, bargain, and explain before they act or make laws.

Ideological conditions

To develop a general acceptance of the ideals of democracy and a willingness of a substantial part of the people to agree to proceed democratically. This acceptance is sometimes called the democratic consensus.

Constitutional democracy requires constant attention to protecting the rights and opinions of others.

To ensure that our democratic processes are effectively serving the principles of liberty, equality, and justice.

Educational conditions

Voting makes little sense unless a considerable number of the voters can read and write and express their interests and opinions, so the poorly educated and illiterate often get left out in a democracy.

Economic conditions

Where economic power is concentrated, political power is likely to be concentrated. Well-to-do nations have a greater chance of sustaining democratic governments than those with widespread poverty do.

Articles of Confederation

Written with the sense of the need for more unity. It allowed the new Confederation to move toward a stronger central government, but a limited and inadequate one.

The Constitutional Convention is usually discussed in terms of its three famous compromises:

the compromise between large and small states over representation in Congress, the compromise between North and South over the regulation and taxation of foreign commerce, and the compromise between North and South over the counting of slaves for the purpose of taxation and representation.

Aristocracy

the highest social class

Bicameralism

the principle of the two-house legislature. the Senate, the smaller chamber, would represent the states, and to some extent the aristocracy, and offset the larger, more democratic House of Representatives.