Midterm Flashcards
Populism (i.e. Populism with a big P”
A political movement in the post-civil war era that attacked/resisted the bourgeoise, the capitalist class.
Populism (i.e. Small p populism)
Politics that resists or attacks the power of some elite: mobilizes the public (e.g. Trump and Sanders are populists)
Democratic Model of Government
The public influences the government through linkage institutions, which causes the government to enact what the public wants or what is in the public interest. In short, government is run (albeit indirectly) by the people and for the people.
Elitist Model of Government
Elites influence and run the government. The public has little to no say. Thus, government policy reflects elite interests. The elite uses institutions like universities, the media, Hollywood, schools, etc. to effectively brainwash the public. In short, government is by the elites and for the elites.
Left Wing populism
Business class or money class or capitalist class or bourgeoisie is the elite. Examples: Ralph Nader, Bernie Sanders, Huey Long.
Right-wing populism
The elite is the intelligentsia (new class). These are the people that dominate the economy, dominate the government, and/or dominate the culture. Whereas Left-Wing populism views power as predominantly political and economic, Right-Wing populism views power as political and economic and cultural.
Sanders’ Model
Disconnect between public and government. The 1% run government and they brainwash the public. Government is run by and for the 1%.
Codevilla Model
Disconnect between Public and government. Ruling class brainwashes public and runs government. Government is by and for this ruling class. (Ruling class… rent seekers and intelligentsia)
Early Populism - Jefferson
Jefferson, it might be said, was the most populist of the Founding Fathers. He supported nullification, was wary of the capitalist class (at least when it came to the non-agrarian capitalist class), and was a firm believer in the general virtue of the American public. Thought America should be an agrarian nation.
Early Populism - Jackson
From the “sticks” of Tennessee. Famed General. Runs for President in 1824. Loses Presidency in 1824 after election goes to the House of Representatives (Corrupt Bargain —-> Henry clay and JQA)
Supported end of property qualifications for voting. Dismantled the National Bank. Viewed President as a sort of Tribune, who represented the common people and had to the power to veto the actions of the elites.
“Equal rights for all… special privileges for none.”
History of big P Populism
response to rise in Big Business. Founded People’s Party in 1892. Supported Nationalizing the telegraph systems and the telephone systems and railroads and a lot of other things. Although People’s Party was, by and large, not successful. The movement heavily influenced the Democratic Party, which nominated WJ Bryan as President several times.
WJ Bryan
Famed Populist and Presidential candidate from Nebraska. Gave famous cross of Gold speech. Wanted to add silver to gold standard, because wanted inflation, because inflation is good for debtors. Bryan was the first person to campaign for president. He was a devout Christian. Supported prohibition, opposed darwinism and social darwinism, supported prohibition.
Huey Long
Every mans a king, but no one wears a crown.
Railed against oil. Pushed public infrastructure and utilities in Louisiana and in the US Senate.
Recent Rise in Populism
Rise in Populism as trust in government has decreased
Issues Important to Left Wing Populists
Progressive income tax. Corporate tax. Inheritance ta. Dislike free trade. Stop deregulation. Money out of politics.
Issues important to Right wing populism
Abortion Sexual revolution Atheism and secularism Ending racial preferences Political correctness Reduction of judicial power
Democracy
Majority rule … literally people rule.
1democrats say the people are sovereign
Aristotle… states that have democracy believe in the equality of people
Socrates arguments against democracy
It is better to have people who are suited for positions rule.
The need for philosopher kings.
By and large, the common people are not virtuous, thus any government built merely on the majority rule of the people will not produce virtuous leaders.
Socrates thinks “how do we get virtuous people in power”…. Americans, like our founders, think “how do we check their power”
Classical Liberalism
Oppose tradition, medieval view of man and society.
Meritocracy as opposed to monarchy or aristocracy.
Individualism
Seperation of church and state
Skepticism
Free speech
Restrictions on govt power
Republicanism
Roman in origin. Diffusion of power between constituencies without direct democracies. “Representative Democracy”. Laws, not individuals, rule.
Machiavelli on Republicanism
Machiavelli - if you want to live in a good state you want to live in a republic. Republics are short-lived though… they fall apart because people stop paying attention to politics and a small group struggles for power.
The Enlightenment
Supremacy of “reason”
Tendency towards philosophical naturalism
Organize society according to reason
Scientific meth and geometric method
General anti-clericalism (with notable exceptions)
Seperation of church and state
John Locke’s though
State of nature (there is such thing as natural law and that law is reason). Men are free in the state of nature.
Property is a natural right that proceeds from the rights of life and liberty.
Rejection of Monarchy and Divine right of kings
Natural law
Limits to govt power
Social contract
Right to overthrow tyrants
Rule of law
The Thought of Thomas Jefferson
Harm principle - You should be able to do whatever you want, legally speaking, so long as you do not thereby harm non-consenting others. wrote Declaration of Independence. Criticized lack of bill of Rights. Big proponent of federalism Supported French Revolution. Growth of gov't will destroy Republic, government should not borrow money because doing so is immoral. Importance of rebellion
Alexander Hamilton thought
Wanted strong and centralized federal gov.
Thought president and senators should serve for life.
Wanted american to be great global power.
Wanted government to hplay a significant role in the economy through industrial policy
Economic nationalism
Debt is good… gets people literally invested in the success of the country and allows us to build stuff.
Government under Articles of Confederation
states as sovereign
States as individual countries.
Federal govt only had legislative branch (1 state = 1 vote)
Federal govt had no power to tax.
Ammending articles required unanimous consent.
Problems with the Ariticles
Erosion of power of the elites.
Economic recession dues to lots of spending on imports.
States were printing their own money
Trade wars
Political disorder (e.g. Shays rebellion)
British encroaching on American sovereignty.
Principles of the Constitution
Power corrupts. Property is sacred. Duty of government is to protect property seperation of powers Checks and balances
Early Slavery in America
Slaves brought over during colonial period and early American period.
Opposition to slavery fairly prevelant among founders, but many of these founders also owned slaves.
Constitution allows federal government to ban importation of slaves 20 years after ratification… this ban happens
15-20 million slaves in US
By Jefferson presidency, Northern states had banned slavery, but slavery wasn’t dying out as people thought.
Two types of Radical Abolitiionists
Non-violent radicals and violent radicals
William Lloyd Garrison
Founded abolitionist newpaper
Opposed to colonization movement (shipping all the free slaves to Liberia)
Opposed liquor
Christian non-violence
Against tobacco
Opposed capital punishment
Denounced Constitution as pro-slavery and immoral
Nat Turner
slave in VA who could read, write
Very religious
Organized rebellion against slave owners
John Brown
Said US government was illegitimate
Moved from Ohio to Kansas after dedication his life to ending slavery in a church.
Wanted to overthrow govt in slave rebellion
Raided Harper’s Ferry armory
Frederick Douglas
former slave from Baltimore.
Learned to read and write. Escaped as runaway slave and went to NY and then to Boston where he gave speeches against slavery.
Conservative in his approach to Abolitionism (thought attacks against Constitution were mistaken). Used Declaration of Independence and to argue against slavery.