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

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

constitution. Adams made use of this consent in the no taxation without representation to reason that since parliament’s authority was not consented to, the colonies shouldn’t be subject to the crown, which stands to reason that Great Britain and the American colonies are separate entities (APT 120-121. If the way colonists perceived the concept of consent had not changed, the glue that held the consent of the Puritans to their government would still have bound the colonies to the British Monarchy.
During Winthrop’s time, the Massachusetts Bay Colony was an aristocratic theocracy.

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

qualifications.
The evolution of societies is inevitable. Everything has a start, and without it, what follows wouldn’t exist. If Winthrop hadn’t presented these ideas, and had they transpired, John Adam’s time would look quite different. In science, it is accepted that the certainties we know now may not be true or exist as they do today. Although these theories may seem completely or at least to some extent different,