Two Founding Fathers, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, both discussed their views of aristocracy. The two disagreed on this subject, as they did on many others. In summary, Adams seemed to be more open to aristocracy, as long as it is controlled, while Jefferson rejected pseudo-aristocracy, he believed that natural aristocracy can and should be a result of government. Adams discussed his views on aristocracy in Discourses on Davila. In which, he outlines the benefits and drawbacks of an aristocracy. As far as positives, an aristocracy allows arts and sciences to flourish, because aristocrats are often patrons of these subjects, Adams views this as beneficial to society. Also in most cases, an aristocracy provides the people with protection against a king. Adams saw the negatives of this form of rule as the dependency of the people on the aristocrats and the creation of a perpetual battle between the king and aristocrats. …show more content…
Adams again addresses aristocracy in a letter to friend, John Taylor.
Within this letter Adam provides his definition of an aristocracy and listed potential problems they can create. Adam defines aristocracy as “men who can command, influence, or procure more than an average of votes; by an aristocrat, every man who can and will influence one man to vote besides himself” (Adams, Letters to John Taylor, 199). When Adams is referring to natural aristocracy, these people most likely do not hold the title of aristocrat, they are simply the most influential members of society, due to their excellence in knowledge, strength, or beauty, etc. Those who hold the title aristocrats are what Adams calls artificial aristocracy, because they are just handed their positions, they do not earn
them. Adams’ concern over aristocracy is called tyranny of the few. This occurs when a few obtain so much power and wealth that they have control over the many with concerns of only the few (themselves). Adams provides a concrete way to control the few, which is the senate. Adams claims the one way to control the few is to throw them all “into one assembly together, in the legislature; to keep all the executive power entirely out of their hands as a body” (Adams, A Defense, 139). To this day, Adams solution seems to be effective, very ambitious politicians end up in the senate and rarely end up with power of the executive. In a letter to Adams, Thomas Jefferson responded to his views on aristocracy. Jefferson too agreed that there existed a natural aristocracy and a pseudo-aristocracy. Jefferson, however, is more selective on which qualities qualify one to be an aristocrat. Jefferson rejects Adams idea that strength, birth, and wealth can make someone a natural aristocrat, he suggests that these qualities can only make a pseudo-aristocrat, which he warns of. For example Jefferson provides the following warning, “The artificial aristocracy is a mischievous ingredient in government, and provisions should be made to prevent it’s ascendency” (Yarbrough 215). Jefferson believes that natural aristocrats will rightfully rise to power if there are free elections by the people. He lists three criteria which will help prevent against a pseudo-aristocrat coming to power; the abolition of primogeniture, a requirement for public education, and the necessity of religious freedom. Jefferson thinks these three changes will enable citizens with the skills need to avoid a danger pseudo-aristocrat. Both Adams and Jefferson view aristocrats as natural and beneficial members of societies. Both men advocate for their leadership in some part of government. The disagreement occurs between the two when one looks at their qualifications for a natural aristocrat, where Adams is more liberal than Jefferson. Overall, both men hint that the rise of natural aristocrats is a requisite for a successful government, democratic or not.
John Adams and Thomas Jefferson brought many different viewpoints and strengths after the establishment of the Constitution but they both put the nation’s stability first and wanted to preserve the wellbeing of the people first by Adams ending the Quazi war and Jefferson making the Louisiana Purchase.
In the year 1787, George Washington headed the delegation that had come together to sign the US Constitution. The aim of the constitution was to give more power to the federal government. The Constitution contains rights that guarantee American citizens freedom of religion and worship. The Declaration of Independence came into existence on the fourth day of the sixth month of 1776, and it regarded the thirteen American colonies as free and independent from the British oppression. The Declaration of Independence came before the Constitution, and its aim was to state that the United States was no longer under colonial power as compared to the constitution that gives rights to American citizens. The Declaration of Independence, therefore, freed a state while the United States Constitution gave freedom to the American citizens after their nation had been liberated from all forms of colonial repression. The Declaration of Independence defined that the United States was free from British oppression whereas the Constitution describes the role of each branch of the government.
After reading the exchange between Thomas Jefferson and James Madison on the question of central importance to American constitutionalism—whether any Constitution, including the United States Constitution, needs to be positively reauthorized or not by every succeeding generation for it to remain legitimate, I believe that what Jefferson demands in his letter as in all too much else, is ignorance, even rage against the past. His principle on expiring the constitution and laws every 19 years would only result in weak government that offers no social continuity and stability.
Thomas Jefferson and George Washington are the two most prominent leaders in establishing a stable government after the adoption of the Constitution. After the Revolution, America was unstable but was controlled after policies and regulations were set under the presidency of Washington and Jefferson. Washington excelled in making the right decisions based on what he thought was right for America’s future. Jefferson expanded independence because of his wants for more political liberty and freedom of religion and education. Although the two had different views, they both succeeded in greatly changing the nation's government for the better. George Washington and Thomas Jefferson helped in establishing a stable government for the new nation by
In Thomas Paine's Common Sense, there are some similarities and differences in the tone as compared to Thomas Jefferson in the Declaration of Independence. Paine's approach to his work contrasts that of Jefferson's. However, they still use the same basic techniques to making their feelings known, which include examining the problem, giving reasons for why it is a problem, and offering their opinion on the solution. Jefferson's and Paine's difference in their tone is evident when examining who they are addressing the documents to, the overall layout of their documents, and the relative importance of the documents.
The American ideals in regards to freedom along with other human rights are not unique to the United States. In fact many of these freedoms and other rights found within the American declaration of independence were in fact copied from the Englishmen John Locke who wrote extensively on the subject nearly a century before the declaration even came into existence. John Locke was many things throughout his life mainly a philosopher and was also heavily involved in politics and psychology. This is evident throughout Locke’s writings. One of his most renowned works is his Second Treatise of Civil Government in which he discusses his views in regard to the state of nature, why people form governments and the benefits they gain from doing so, along with analyzing the extent of parliament’s
Thomas Jefferson and John Adams were the last living individuals from the first American progressives who had confronted the British people and manufactured another political group in the previous provinces. Then again, while they both trusted stock in vote based system and life, freedom and the quest for joy, their conclusions on the best way to accomplish these standards separated after some time. Later, serving two presidential terms, Jefferson and Adams each communicated to outsiders their appreciation the other and their longing to recharge their friendship. Adams was the first to end the hush; he sent Jefferson a letter around the time of new year’s, in which he wished Jefferson numerous great new years to come. Jefferson reacted with
•Compare the backgrounds of Jefferson and Paine; did Paine have an advantage or disadvantage by not being born in the colonies? Explain.
Thomas Jefferson has an amazing role in our lives today from the hard work and time he spent to make an easier future for all of us. There are days that some of us could not thrive as the people we are without the appliances he made to make challenging tasks easier for us. Some people look up to him because he never stopped doing great things and never stopped showing unselfishness. Thomas Jefferson revolutionized the world of the 18th century and centuries to come. Thomas Jefferson was one of the most influential people of the 18th century because he was one of the founding fathers of America, he was the founder of the University of Virginia, and he was the creator of many life changing inventions, which drastically changed the world.
Alexander Hamilton exerted the most influence in the new Federalist Party. He believed that only an enlightened ruling class could produce a stable and effective federal government. The government therefore needed the support of wealthy men. Thomas Jefferson and the Republicans defended more the rights of the common man and an agrarian society with little power from the federal government. His basic principle was "in general I believe the decisions of the people in a body will be more honest and more disinterested than those of wealthy men."
There were many men involved in the establishment of the government, the laws regulating states and people, and individual rights in the construction of the United States of America. Two men stand out as instrumental to our founding principles: Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton.
The government within the monarchical society was populated by the aristocracy. It was they who were depended upon for directing the course of governmental affairs. The controls of all co...
When it comes to the visions of America we tend to think of two sides. Thomas Jefferson and Ben Franklin. They each have their own unique way of saying what Americas Vision is.Thomas Jefferson 's vision of America is what we would call idealistic. Meaning it is ideal to be lived for and for which must always strive. He states in the Declaration of Independence that "All are created equal." Defining equality can be difficult because the meaning is always changing. It does not mean we are the same, but it does mean we all are granted the same rights and freedom. I believe that America is always struggling to live up to "all are created equal" but have yet to succeed at it. I think that America has not lived up to Jefferson ideal. If we look back it in time and compare to the present we are still dealing with some of the same situations. Race, Religions, etc. A quote from the Declaration of Independence states, "That they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of happiness." Stating that every human deserves to have their own life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness if they do to wish so.
Enlightenment existed around 18th Century, where a group of thinkers expressed their concern on issues affecting the society. During this period expressing ideas or propositions that were against the authority was termed as an offense by the existing regimes, which suppressed the freedom of expression, trade, toleration, press, reason and education. Some people like aristocrats were considered to be high society and enjoyed the social benefits such as high living standard, commanded respect, attended high- class social gatherings and lived in big cities like Paris or London. This way of way life raised much concerned with people of lower class like the workers because of the unfair treatment (Jacob, 2001).
While the author also talks about how great these monarchies are especially Frederick the Great he also seems to comment on how Frederick the great was this German king who was also the ideal German that every German man wanted to aspire to be. The perspective of the authorship seems to do the monarchies good credit but not so much for the church who is known for being a persecutive bunch who seem to slow down human progress. Lastly, the Philosophes are pitted in a moderate light they are kind of looked at in the article as lower than the oppressive monarchs still better than the Catholic persecutors. So if this author was writing this article about a real monarch like Frederick the great you'd want him to look the best because he’s the king even if he’s a bit oppressive, as compared to those philosophes who wanted to do away with the monarchy and have a more democratic way of governing a free people. The author appeases Frederick the great because he was your king and in those times if you disrespected the king you could die so it was an article that was utilized to appease the right people and keep his own self-save. Although the article is completely fake and really means none of what I said about but I’m comparing the era of this article with an era of the other article. The entire story and debate that Hume writes about were in his own mind the whole time and it is really just being relayed to the three characters by Hume who in turn have this made debate amongst the three made up characters represent the entire point he’s making. The three debaters are the medium by which they are utilized to separate, "their own beliefs" from those of David Hume’s meanly personal beliefs from the audience that he is writing to via the book