Compare And Contrast The Political Theories Of John Winthrop And John Adams

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John Adams and John Winthrop’s upbringings influenced their political theories. Specifically, with the idea of consent in government, these two minds were sculpted based on their circumstances. For instance, Winthrop was a very religious and devout Puritan. His theory on consent within government was very basic in that it was viewed as the bond that held society together. This perspective evolved and changed into the consent of authority and leadership in the colonies. Adams experienced this form of consent firsthand when he rejected the stamp and Townshend acts because the consent between parliament to impose taxes without representing the colonies. By denying the power of parliament, it didn’t accomplish much at first, but this idea of protest became an integral part of the early US government in the national …show more content…

Political positions were only open to members of the Puritan church. Because these communities were strictly of one religious sect, the electable candidates would be a descent amount even with the stipulation of being “high and eminent in power and dignitie” (APT, 11). Fast-forward to Adam’s era, the singular sect of religion becomes obsolete with increased religious tolerance compared to that of Winthrop’s time. Religion was not the major concern when electing officials at this time. Adams recommended that individuals with higher levels of education, wealth, and nobility be the prime candidates to avoid corruption and conflicts of interest. The colonists of the time disagreed with this because the desire for a republican government would be hampered by these constraints. If the requirement of being an aristocrat and of a certain religious sect had existed, it would basically be no different than the policies for electing officials for the House of Lords in England in that these titles were so rare that they would be given out regardless of the person’s

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