The Spirit of American GovernmentCosimo, Inc., 1. 5. 2006. - 420 страница Democracy-government by the people, or directly responsible to them-was not the object which the framers of the American Constitution had in view, but the very thing which they wished to avoid. In the convention which drafted that instrument it was recognized that democratic ideas had made sufficient progress among the masses to put an insurmountable obstacle in the way of any plan of government which did not confer at least the form of political power upon the people. Accordingly the efforts of the Constitutional Convention were directed to the task of devising a system of government which was just popular enough not to excite general opposition and which at the same time gave to the people as little as possible of the substance of political power.-from "Chapter III: The Constitution Reactionary Document"It was written a century ago, in 1907, but this rethinking of the legacy of the American founding fathers continues to inspire historical revisionists today. The opening salvo in what was to become a cottage industry of conspiracy theories, this startling and angry work posits that the American Constitution is not, in fact, a bastion of power-to-the-people philosophy but is, rather, the result of a political plot by the economic elite of the colonies to retain as much supremacy as possible for themselves.A shattering blow to the iconic images of the men who made America, this is a provocative and shocking read.OF INTEREST TO: readers of American history, students of the culture warsJAMES ALLEN SMITH (1860-1926) was professor of political science at the University of Washington. |
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Страница vii
... popular government by bringing us to a realization of the fact that the so - called evils of democracy are very largely the natural results of those constitutional checks on popular rule which we have inherited from the political system ...
... popular government by bringing us to a realization of the fact that the so - called evils of democracy are very largely the natural results of those constitutional checks on popular rule which we have inherited from the political system ...
Страница 3
... popular demand , from time to time , only what necessity required . The constitution of the present day is the outcome of this long - continued and incessant struggle . It reflects in its form and character the existing dis- tribution ...
... popular demand , from time to time , only what necessity required . The constitution of the present day is the outcome of this long - continued and incessant struggle . It reflects in its form and character the existing dis- tribution ...
Страница 9
... government had the power to block reform , the system was one which made legislation difficult . The system of checks and balances must not be confused with democracy ; it is opposed to and can not be reconciled with the theory of popular ...
... government had the power to block reform , the system was one which made legislation difficult . The system of checks and balances must not be confused with democracy ; it is opposed to and can not be reconciled with the theory of popular ...
Страница 10
... popular in form . While it would have constituted a popular check on the King and the House of Lords , it would have been powerless to express the popular will in legislation . The House of Commons was not , however , a popular body in ...
... popular in form . While it would have constituted a popular check on the King and the House of Lords , it would have been powerless to express the popular will in legislation . The House of Commons was not , however , a popular body in ...
Страница 13
... political democracy than the English Constitution of the eighteenth century permitted . To this new and popular view of government the Declaration of Independence gave expression . It contained an emphatic , formal and solemn disavowal ...
... political democracy than the English Constitution of the eighteenth century permitted . To this new and popular view of government the Declaration of Independence gave expression . It contained an emphatic , formal and solemn disavowal ...
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THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE AMENDMENT FEATURE OF | 40 |
The amendments to the Constitution | 47 |
Causes of political reaction | 51 |
Amendment of the Articles of Confederation | 57 |
The committee system a check on the majority | 193 |
The speakers power to thwart legislation | 199 |
Amendment of the constitution made more difficult | 235 |
CHAPTER X | 249 |
Fear of municipal democracy | 279 |
28 | 284 |
Why our state governments have not been favorable | 285 |
CHAPTER XI | 291 |
CHAPTER V | 65 |
Hamiltons defense of the Federal judiciary | 73 |
The Constitution a product of eighteenthcentury | 86 |
Effort to establish municipal selfgovernment | 90 |
Character of the laws vetoed by the Supreme Court | 111 |
The object of home rule provisions largely defeated | 112 |
Government by injunction | 117 |
The disadvantages of a deferred veto | 123 |
THE CHECKS AND BALANCES OF THE CONSTITUTION | 125 |
Relation of the theory of checks and balances | 131 |
The framers fear of democracy | 136 |
Subordination of the House of Representatives | 138 |
Significance of the Presidents oath of office | 146 |
Attitude of the framers toward criticism of public | 152 |
Federal versus national government | 160 |
CHAPTER VII | 186 |
The doctrine of vested rights | 299 |
INDIVIDUAL LIBERTY AND THE ECONOMIC SYSTEM | 304 |
The laissez faire policy | 310 |
The need of protection to labor | 316 |
The policy of the Supreme Court a factor in corrupt | 325 |
CHAPTER XIII | 331 |
Three reforms needed in the case of the Senate | 338 |
Power of twothirds of the states to call a consti | 346 |
Direct versus representative democracy | 355 |
CHAPTER XIV | 361 |
Decline in the efficacy of old restraints | 364 |
The need of more publicity | 372 |
CHAPTER XV | 379 |
Democracy would make government a science | 386 |
The scientific justification of democracys hostility | 394 |
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absolute veto adopted amendment American appointed aristocracy Articles of Confederation authority branch charter checks and balances cities colonies committee Constitution of Australia Convention coördinate Declaration of Independence declared defeat democracy democratic doctrine effective election Elliot's Debates enacted enforce English ernment evils executive exercise expressly fact favor Federal Constitution Federal judiciary Federalist framers Gouverneur Morris governor Hamilton Hampshire constitution House of Representatives impeachment important independent influence interests interpretation irresponsible jority judges judicial veto King largely lature laws legis legislature limit the power majority rule matter means measure ment minority necessary null and void opposed Parliament platform political party popular control popular government practice President principle proposed provision public opinion purpose qualified voters ratify recognized responsible secure Senate South Carolina stitution suffrage Supreme Court system of checks tenure tion tional treaties two-thirds majority United United States senators universal suffrage veto power vote