American Heritage Flashcards
Plato
Philosopher kings. Against democracy and tyranny. Ring of Gyges
Ring of Gyges
When people are left to do as they please (invisible), they’ll be evil
Aristotle
Aristocracy. Most excellent rule with consent. Government instills virtues
Pericles
first Athenian democracy
St. Augustine
“City of God” ruled by church leaders
Thomas Moore
“utopia”. religious freedom and education
Rousseau
people are inherently good, corrupted by government
Humes
Collective Action Problem. People work towards self interest, but working together benefits everyone
Rawls
Veil of Ignorance. Creators of government should make the government not knowing where they are going to end up in it. Good govt for EVERYONE
Adam Smith
“Wealth of Nations”. Mercantilism is bad, decentralized markets. Focus should be on consumption
Thomas Hobbes
Humans are inherently evil, need a government to keep them in check
2nd Treatise #1
In a state of nature, all humans are created equal
2nd Treatise #2
In order to create a union, people must give up some rights
2nd Treatise #3
Government exists to protect the rights of the people
2nd Treatise #4
People give consent to the government to be governed
2nd Treatise #5
People have right to abolish the government if government fails to do its job
Rule of Law
Generality, Consent, Prospectivity, Publicity, Due Process
Generality
Rules apply to everyone
Consent
People give their consent to be governed
Publicity
Laws are made public
Prospectivity
Laws don’t apply to past events
Due Process
Like generality. Everyone is treated equally in court
Trustee model of Representative
goes with personal morals
Delegate model of Representative
goes with constituents
Party model of Representative
goes with political party
Glorious Revolution
revolution where King William and Queen Mary were removed bloodlessly from the throne. Americans saw it as power of the people
Corporate Communities
Want $$$. Jamestown. House of Burgesses
Covenant Communities
Want religious freedom. Plymouth, pilgrims. Mayflower compact
Mix between Covenant and Corporate communities
Want to reform church. Massachusetts Bay Colony
Stamp Act
Taxation without Representation
Ingredients to a successful revolution
Unified cause, self-governing history, Distance, Virtue and Interest, Rule of Law, Economics
Constitution of Knowledge
Knowledge is general and available to everyone. Goes through “funnel of credibility”
Decentralized Government
Power is spread out to the people
Centralized Government
Power is centralized. held by few people
Akhil Amar
Freedom of speech. People should speak with other about differing views
Law of Supply
As prices increase, supply goes up
Law of Demand
As prices increase, demand goes down
Equilibrium Price
Point where supply and demand meet
Comparative Advantage
Person who has lowest opportunity cost in something
Absolute Advantage
Person has lowest opportunity cost for both things in trade
Principal Agent Problem
People aren’t knowledgeable in politics, but agent is. Problem is if agent is trustworthy
Economic Signals
Prices (consumers) and Profits (producers)
Opportunity Cost
cost of whatever you’re giving up
Trade off
trade benefits everyone
Invisible Hand
Economy runs without a central force.
1st Amendment
Freedom of speech, religion, press, petition, assembly
2nd Amendment
right to bear arms
3rd Amendment
no quartering troops in houses
4th Amendment
searches and seizures
5th Amendment
grand jury, double jeopardy, self incrimination, due process, private property can’t be taken without compensation
6th Amendment
public and speedy trial
7th Amendment
right to trial by jury
8th Amendment
no cruel and unusual punishments
9th Amendment
people still have rights not expressed in Constitution
10th Amendment
anything else to ushed to the states
Articles of Constitution
LEJSASR. Legislative, Exeutive, Judicial, States, Amendments, Supremacy Clause, Ratification
Federalist 10
Factions
Federalist 39
States vs national govt
Federalist 51
separation of powers
Federalist 78
Judiciary branch
Brutus Papers
Antifederalist. Constitution is too broad, central govt has too much power
Marbury v Madison
JUDICIAL REVIEW. Judiciary Act of 1789 unconstitutional
James Madison (CC)
Author of Virginia Plan
Gouvenor Morris (CC)
supported Madison. Against slavery
Roger Sherman (CC)
proposed Great Compromise. population representation in lower house, equal in upper
George Washington (CC)
stabilizing force, gave constitution validity
William Patterson (CC)
New Jersey Plan
John Rutlage (CC)
Wouldn’t sign without protected slavery
Slavery compromise
3/5 compromise. Slave trade abolished after 20 years. Fugitive Slave Laws
Three Estates in France
Clergy, Nobility, and Commoners
Women’s march
Women force the King to leave Versailles, pushed along the French revolution
Robespierre
powerful influence in French Revolution. Wanted to instill virtue through terror
Differences between American and French Revolution
concepts of virtue, commitment to Rule of Law,
commitment to Constitution
Northwest Ordinance
method for admitting new states into nation
Consequences of the Western Land Policy
- Economics: geographic mobility leading to economic mobility
- Politics: idea of more common democracy
Ambiguities of Andrew Jackson
Class: broaden electorates, more democratic for the poor
Race/Ethnicity: push Natives off land
Deeper problem of Slavery
Economic system that saw people as economic tools based on race
Frederick Douglass
Abolitionist, still had faith and hope in America despite being former slave
Popular sovereignty
power derived directly from the people
Lincoln v Douglas
Lincoln: some views are beyond debate/popular sovereignty
Douglas: the people should decide
Role of govt in markets
prevent coercion and fraud
provide money
provide infrastructure
define property rights
enforce exchange agreement
In markets govt must deals with
Externalities
Monopolies
Public Goods
Imperfect Info
Recession
Economic Inequalities
How is the Constitution inspired?
Separation of Powers
Written Bill of Rights
Division of Powers
Popular Sovereignty
Rule of law
Confederate states only readmitted into union after
new Constitutions
universal male suffrage
adoption of civil war amendments (13, 14, 15)
Reconstruction failures
alienated southern elite,
no significant economic provisions for newly freed slaves
freed slaves’ rights weren’t really protected by North
Analyzing Market Weaknesses
- What is the weakness?
- What can the govt do to fix it?
- What did the govt do good or bad while fixing it?
Non-rival Public goods
person’s use of public good doesn’t stop/affect someone else’s ability to use it
Non-excludable public goods
good you can’t stop anyone from using, but runs out over time
Externalities
exchange affects 3rd party not involved in exchange
Insufficient Information
exchanges are made that are not beneficial because information is withheld or warped
Where the other half lives
Photographs of slums to show the wealthy the condition of the poor. Jacob Riis
Progressives
middle class movement reacting to vibrant upper class. Wanted more govt involvement
Ida B Wells
exposed mob violence against African Americans
Monopolies
restrict exchange by buying out companies. control prices
Cartel
group of businesses that cooperate to gain monopolistic power
Carry Nation
smashes up bars with hatchet. Temperance movement
16 amendment
Income tax
17 amendment
direct election of senators
18 amendment
prohibition
19 amendment
women’s suffrage
21 amendment
repealed 18th
Market weaknesses of a recession
Shock hits market
wages and prices don’t automatically adjust
NRA (National Recovery Administration)
permitted creation of “does of fair competition”. Set wages and hours
WPA (Works Progress Administration)
provided jobs, income, they build buildings, operated theaters, and engaged in other projects
AAA (Agricultural Adjustment Act)
Increased agricultural prices
CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps)
provided outdoor jobs for young men
NIRA (National Industrial recovery Act)
promote free-flow of interstate, foreign commerce, cooperative action between trade groups
Keynesian economics
govt increases spending and decreases taxes to redistribute wealth
New Deal’s legacy
agricultural price supports, govt regulation of businesses, SSA, acceptance of deficit spending
Fiscal Policy
GOVT increases money supply and lowers interest rates
Monetary Policy
FED increases money supply and lowers interest rates
Problems with new deal
Knowledge problem
some elected officials will partner with private interests to help politically favored
Hegemon
something with dominant influence over others
Foreign Policy complications
- Knowledge problem
- Unintended Consequences
- Democracy changes their mind
Importance of Institutions in Civil Rights movement
Supreme Court
Civil War amendments
Executive branch backed up court decisions
legislative (Civil Rights Act of 1964, Voting rights Act of 1956)
Need for political parties
organize govt
simplify debate
Coalitions must be sizeable
to get past bicameralism, filters of consent, separation of powers
Coalitions must be sustained
to get past separated elections when public mood changes
Pauline Meyer: American Scripture
Interpretation of Constitution has changed over time
Webster
America is amazing, better than all the rest
Frederick Douglass readings
Dec. of Ind. has great ideals, sometimes aren’t upheld (slavery)
Coolidge reading
ideals of Dec. of Ind are final, cannot change them
Reagan Address
Dec of Ind unifies us as Americans. Even if we disagree we still have a lot in common
When Ideas have sex
we are better off when we exchange
Civil Rights Act of 1964
No segregation allowed
Voting Rights Act of 1965
everyone who wanted to register to vote had to be permitted to vote
