Chapter 2: The Ideas that Shape America

A Nation of Ideas
  • The Declaration of Independence is so powerful because it states that people form governments for one purpose--"to secure the rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness"
  • Many people believe in American Exceptionalism, that the US is a unique nation, different from every other.
  • 7 Big Ideas that Guide our Policy
    • Liberty
    • Self Rule (Democracy)
    • Individualism
    • Limited Government
    • The American Dream
    • Equality
    • Faith in God
  • There is a twist to all of the ideas above: Americans rarely agree on what they mean
"The Land of the Free"
  • Freedom means that government will protect your life, your liberty, and your property from the coercion of others in order to permit you to pursue the goals you define for yourself
The Two Sides of Liberty
  • People tend to disagree on what Freedom means, the more popular belief is negative liberty: Freedom is the absence of constrains
    • From this perspective the goal is to make sure government does not interfere with individuals
    • Negative view emphasizes personal autonomy: Taxing me violates my freedom of property
  • Positive Liberty: Freedom to pursue one's goals
    • From this perspective, individuals cannot really be free, they cannot pursue their desires-- if they lack the basic necessities of life
    • This view justifies government action as a way to help give all people a legitimate change to achieve their desires
    • Membership in a free society means sharing enough wealth so that everyone enjoys freedom from want
  • Freedom from want
    • A positive liberty that social welfare policies such as Unemployment insurance and Social Security were part of the all-American idea of freedom
The Idea of Freedom is Always Changing
  • Prejudices used to exist
    • Slavery, Segregation, Women's rights, Immigrant Citizenship Denial
  • Great debate about how to achieve self-rule: The idea that legitimate government flows from the people
One side of Self-Rule: Democracy
  • Democracy involves citizen participation in making government decisions.
  • Many states still reach for the democratic ideal: Let the public make decisions without relying on elected officials
    • In 2018, 26 States weighed in on over 160 ballot questions including:
      • Legalizing Recreational marijuana
      • Permitting Medical Marijuana
      • Raising the Minimum Wage
      • Expanding Medicaid to provide health care to more people
    • People voted directly on an issue through referendum: an election in which citizens vote directly on an issue
    • Initiatives: A process in which citizens propose new laws or amendments to the state constitution 
      • permit the public in 24 states to circulate a petition that would propose a new law or amendment to its constitution
    • Most city and state governments have sunshine laws that open their meetings to the public
  • People should exercise power as much as possible to maintain control
Another side of Self-Rule: A Republic
  • James Madison said the problem with direct democracy was that the majority often get carried away. They put their self-interest without paying attention to the rights of the minority.
    • Direct democracy offers no barrier to lunch mobs crying for blood
  • The Alternative is a republic in which the people rule indirectly through their elected representatives
    • Framers made this important contribution
    • The problem republics addressed was as an institution that would protect individual rights even if a majority of the people were selfish and corrupt.
A Mixed System
  • Which view of self-rule does the United States incorporate: A Democratic Republic
    • Because it includes the elements of both Democracy and Republics
      • Plenty of opportunities for direct participation
      • At the end of the hierarchy of government is having to answer to the public
      • 500,000 Elected Officials make up our hybrid government
  • We elect representatives, reflecting our origins as a republic, but the enormous number of opportunities to serve in elective office moves us to a democracy
  • While the two parties that form America's political stances are also Republicans/Democrats, we capitalize their words as not to confuse them with the two pathways to self-rule
Limited Government
  • Americans distrust centralized leadership and consistently sought to limit its power 
    • History and Experience taught Americans to see the central government not as a potential source of rights, but as a threat to their life, liberty, and happiness
      • This is why Americans are slow to trust their national government
And Yet... Americans keep Demanding More Government
  • Despite how much Americans are slow to trust government, they demand government action
    • Many Conservatives seek to use federal authority to:
      • Secure the border against undocumented immigration
      • Crack down on illegal drugs
      • Forbid Abortions
      • Enhance Homeland Security
    • Conservatives believe in reduced government spending, personal responsibility, and traditional moral values
  • Most Liberals reject the idea that public officials should interfere in people's private lives
    • Liberals believe Government should:
      • Sponsor Fast Trains
      • Regulate Wall Street
      • Protect the Environment
      • Offer School Lunch Programs
    • Liberals are Americans who value cultural diversity, government programs for the needy, public intervention in the economy, and individuals' rights to a lifestyle based on their own social and moral positions
Limits on Government Action
  • The constitution itself often creates a limit to action for government
    • Includes an intricate system of checks and balances on power
    • Limits what congress may do-- but Americans vigorously debate where the boundaries lie
  • Social Security and Medicare are examples of changes that once made are difficult to repeal due to limits on government
When Ideas Clash: Democracy and Limited Government
  • Although a president may make claims before coming to office, when entered election winners always face difficulties putting their policies into effect as a result of many limits Americans have put on their government
  • Limited Government responds by making it very difficult for elected officials to follows through on their promises and actually getting things done
    • Even the president must convince the majority in the House of Representatives and 60% of the senate to vote his way
    • Even once passed the program may often face new challenges in court for violating constitutional limits on government power

Individualism

  • ​Individualism is the idea that individuals, not the society, are responsible for their own well being

Community Versus Individualism
  • Two ways to view Society:
    • As a Single Community
      • These countries are known as social democracies [Most European Nations]
        • ​They believe that members of a society are responsible for one another, government is a source of mutual assistance
          • In exchange people pay high taxes, almost half of Norwegian Income goes to taxes
          • Far more equal, not just in opportunity, but in outcome
    • As a Collection of Individuals
      • People and their families are responsible for their own welfare
      • These people opt for lower taxes and a green light for private entrepreneurs
      • People who work hard will get ahead, they believe, and society will grow and prosper
      • Value a chance to get ahead over the value of a society in which everyone is equal
      • Individualism points towards limited government, faith in economic markets, and a strong emphasis on negative liberty
The Roots of American Individualism: Opportunity and Discord
  • Americans lean towards individualism, why? 
    • Golden Opportunity
      • Powerful Ideal in American Culture and Politics, few societies have ever offered so many individuals as much opportunity to rise and prosper as early America did
    • Social Conflict
      • A large source of individualism is the large amount of division in American History
        • Religion, Race, Gender, ect.
  • Americans are not totally Individualists, but these two themes are always competing in American Politics
    • Individualism is more robust and more often in evidence
    • But a sense of solidarity also unites the population, Americans often pull through together as a nation

The American Dream