Of the many influences on American political theory, none is more essential that John Locke’s Second Treatise on Civil Government. The American founders were well read in all philosophy. And they certainly gave attention to many thinkers. But where the others contributed fragments, Locke’s ideas account for the major structure of America’s government.
Read MoreThe Prince contains, for almost the first time anywhere, an interest in the feelings and wishes of ordinary people. Machiavelli doesn’t mean to balance the rights of citizens against the rights of rulers. He just means to remind Medici that the citizens have feelings and motivations of their own, and that ruling them is easier when those wishes are considered.
Read MoreMedieval rulers could do, within their own territory, what seemed best to his own mind. That worked well when the man was good, and worked badly when the man was weak or wicked. There were very few rules or constraints on medieval kings. And yet, when the barons sat down at Runnymede in 1215 to list what seemed proper, they produced ideas that inspired America’s founders in 1787.
Read More“[W]e need in these present circumstances to be brave men and not give up but try—if ever we are able—to save ourselves by conquering nobly, and if we are not, let us at least die nobly!”
Read MoreThe law of nature demands basic decency. It demands that workers deserves fair wages. It insists that every person ought to have a safe and comfortable home, enough to eat, and some opportunity to enjoy beauty, truth and goodness. It claims from every citizen a bit of loyalty and service to the community, while leaving the citizen as free as possible to do as he or she wishes. Those ancient and unvarying goals are still the proper goals for all government and all social action.
Read MoreReading the Constitution tells you how the United States is governed to about the same extent as reading a recipe tells you what food tastes like. The Constitution, from the very beginning, has been mute about important issues. And wherever the Constitution has not set clear and definite parameters, people in power have taken opportunity to work the nation’s practices to their advantage.
Read MoreA citizen may refer to the Constitution and give a literal and accurate quotation from the document. Another may declare they have a constitutional right to something they just made up. Someone can say the Constitution does or doesn’t do or say something, and justify their statement by pointing to a court decision. People define the Constitution as broadly and vaguely as is convenient for their purposes.
So what should a well-informed citizen do?
Read MorePolitics is the process of gaining power for yourself so you can do favors for yourself and your friends. Politics is driven by money and ego. Politics is about winning, and doing whatever it takes to win. A decent person might, perhaps, engage in politics. The winner of a political contest might, perhaps, use the power of the office to do good. They might wash the dirt of the campaign off their hands. But politics itself does not (and cannot) serve any common good or any moral principle.
Read MoreCows ought to stay in their pasture. Good fences are the best way of keeping them there. The farmer who makes excuses instead of keeping his fences up is a bad neighbor.
Politicians ought to respect citizens’ rights and provide good government for all. An effective constitution is the means of making them do that. The people who make excuses for an ineffectual constitution are bad citizens.
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Johns Hopkins University President Ronald Daniels
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