The Institutionalization of Power Poli 110J 1.3 We hold these truths to be self- evident.

The Institutionalization of Power Poli 110J 1.3

“We hold these truths to be self-evident”

Course Website

• adamgomez.wordpress.com– Syllabus, lecture slides, electronic readings, and

(eventually) paper topics will be found here under the “Teaching” tab

Common Sense (recap)

• Authority of Reason– Undermines Traditional Authority of the British

monarchy– Accessible by anyone who is not blinded by the

passions• In this way, the authority of reason is democratic


• State of Nature as tool of political criticism– Human rights exist prior to any form of

government• Thus, these rights have priority over the government,

and the government may not in justice infringe upon them


• Liberal/Enlightenment political values:– Commerce– Local government with weak central government– Religious toleration– Rule of Law– Society (freedom, happiness) vs. Government

(power, constraint)

Declaration of Independence

• Should the 13 Colonies declare independence from Britain?

• July 1, 1776: vote 9 yes (New Jersey, Georgia, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maryland, North Carolina, New Hampshire, Virginia, Rhode Island) 3 no (Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Delaware) 1 abstaining (NY lacked permission)

• July 2: Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Delaware change votes. “Unanimous”


• We are reading the third draft. Jefferson was the sole author of the first, but it was revised in order to preserve the unity of the rebellious colonies.– Removal by congress of passage critical of the slave

trade• July 4, approved and sent to printer.• Was it a revolution?• The Declaration of Independence is the first

utterance of the United States of America– Speaking the nation into existence (performative)


• “When in the Course of human Events, it becomes necessary for one People to dissolve the Political Bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the Powers of the Earth, the separate and equal Station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent Respect to the Opinions of Mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the Separation.”


• State of Nature• Laws of Nature (Locke) and Nature’s God

(Deism)• Legitimacy of Rebellion• Keen awareness that the attention of the

world is on the United States• First democratic government since classical

times


• “WE hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness”


• If the truths are self-evident, why bother saying them?

• Why then do they need to be “held”?• How does this influence the nature of the

American state?– Written in the voice of a single, national people– The US is not a community of shared blood or

culture, but of shared belief.


• The role of God, “the Creator”:• Who is he?– Deism vs. Revealed Religion

• What is his political function?– The source of political rights

• Political rights are an intrinsic part of being human.


• What does it mean for all men to be created equal? Equal how?

• Is God (of some kind) necessary for this to be true?

• In the first utterance of the united American nation, equality is the foundational political good, and the basis for political liberty.– Equality is thus a first order good.


• “That to secure these Rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just Powers from the Consent of the Governed, that whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these Ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its Foundation on such Principles, and organizing its Powers in such Form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.”


• The purpose of government is the preservation of rights– Stemming from equality

• An inherent right to revolution• Organization of power to be determined by

“the people.”– Again, the people are prior, as are their security

and happiness, to the government.


• “when a long Train of Abuses and Usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object, evinces a Design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their Right, it is their Duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future Security.”


• Right and Duty– Duty how?– What is the relationship in this between positive

and negative liberty?• Freedom


• Emerging tensions: – Which has priority, liberty or equality?– Is the United States an alliance of independent

states, or is it a single, national people?

Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union

• Approved for ratification by Second Continental Congress Nov. 2, 1777.– During the war. Became de facto system of gov’t

until ratified March 1, 1781.


• “To all to whom these Presents shall come, we the undersigned Delegates of the States affixed to our Names send greeting.”– Unlike the Declaration, this is written in the voice

of the various states, not in that of a unified, national people.


• 1. Officially names the new nation the United States of America– This is really pretty self-explanatory.


• 2. Each state remains sovereign except as limited by the Articles– Internally, each state is effectively independent of

the rest. Very strong state powers.


• 3. The US is a new nation united “in perpetuity” for the preservation of the rights and security of the various states.– Unlike the Declaration of Independence, the

Articles explicitly guarantee the rights and security of states more than they do those of individuals.• The individual is understood to be represented be his

or her (that is to say, his) community/State.

• 4. Unrestricted movement between states for all except “paupers, vagabonds, and fugitives.”

• Local law applies• Extradition


• 5. Each state gets one vote in the Congress of the Confederation– Unicameral legislature– Disproportionately favors small states. Large

states asked to contribute more for only an equal share of legislative power.


• 6. Powers of war and foreign relations exclusive domain of central government– Internal powers largely remain with states, but

the US deals with the outside world as a single political unit.

– Standing armies & navies only for central gov’t, but states may have militias


• 8. Central government will be paid for via funds raised by the states– No taxation powers or abilities to make funding

compulsory– Could only request funding from the states, to be

paid on essentially voluntary basis.• Freerider problem


• 9. Powers of central government:– Adjudicate between states– War– Weights, measures, currency


• 13. Articles of Confederation are perpetual, can only be altered by unanimous consent of all states.– Unanimity is a hard thing to get. This gives each

state immense veto powers.


• Problems: Central government– Could not enforce requests for funding– Had no draft powers, could not compel states to

comply w/requests for troops.– Often was unable to pay soldiers, much less fulfill

promise of life pensions to them.


• Recognition of these problems led to the first major political factionalization of the newly independent United States– Federalists: want fundamental reform of the

structure of gov’t, creating a far stronger central government

– Anti-federalists: believe that this would infringe on freedoms of the states, and thus of the individuals that they represent.


• For the first time, the question becomes pressing, “What is the United States of America?”

The Institutionalization of Power Poli 110J 1.3 We hold these truths to be self- evident.

Documents

freedom slide

democratic slide

constraint slide

unanimous slide

new government

pursuit of happiness

government power

form of government