Compare And Contrast Classical Republicanism And Thomas Jefferson

Thomas Jefferson has served many roles during his life in America. He is considered a founding father, an author of Declaration of Independence, and also president of the United States. Through all of his roles in the United States he produced his ideals and ways of handling situations by blending many types of philosophies such as; Christian ethics, liberalism, republicanism, and Scottish morality mostly from David Hume. The two philosophies he based his governance and stances on came from Classical Republicanism and Lockean Liberalism. Jefferson was not crippled to one ideal, he used both Classical Republicanism and Lockean Liberalism in certain aspects in America. Jefferson decided he would use both Classical Republicanism and Lockean Liberalism

Jefferson also combined John Locke’s influence with the Ancient Constitution to the writings of the United States. Jefferson used John Locke’s Second Treatise and writings mostly and the Ancient Constitution during his writings in the American Revolution with the works of the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution of the United States, and the Bill of Rights. Thomas Jefferson’s Lockean Liberalism is used in the Declaration of Independence with his implementation of the nature of man, government, and revolution rights. Lockean Liberalism also was used in the natural rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness even though Locke phrases it with the pursuit of property in the Declaration of Independence. Lockean Liberalism also exposed Thomas Jefferson’s pro French ideals during revolutionary times. These pro French ideals and Lock influenced revolutionary documents allowed the United States to combat British parliamentary rulings. Jefferson also used the new Lockean Liberal influences on government to defend the autonomous republic legislatures from British

Jefferson’s Classical Republicanism was based of the works of philosophers such as Aristotle and Socrates. Jefferson implemented Classical Republicanism in society issues. The good of society came from the sacrifice of self-interest, which was an influence from classic republicanism. Jefferson believed that the people in society are naturally social and political. Social ethics in American society called for the restraining and punishment of violence and theft. Issues in societies in America also used Classical Republicanism by Thomas Jefferson through moral choice with the knowledge of good and evil. Classical Republicanism showed citizens as the best preservers of individual natural rights. Citizen’s social nature was composed of their human psyche which was based off of natural right and good moral choice according to Jefferson’s Classical Republicanism. Issues on justice were also solved through Classical Republicanism naturally which makes the people wary of others in the community, which unifies them. Jefferson’s Classical Republicanism also was issued on political issues in America. While Jefferson was a representative in the Virginian government is where this was seen most prominently in which he purposefully divided counties for economic, political, and the education according to the