Multiple Strands of Influence
- Classical Republicanism
- Lockean Liberalism
- Christian Theology
- English Common Law
Classical Republicanism
a) Looks back to the Roman republic, which was focused on civic virtue. Do great deeds for the purpose of being remembered. Be a great citizen and this procure a type of immortality
b) This influences George W
Christian Theology
Distinctly Protestant flavor in America
English Common Law
The most immediate influence on the Founding is English
- the English institutions and habits such as deliberative bodies
Hegel’s book
Philosophy of History
Hegel»_space; History
Find a teleological structure to history
- History is moving towards an endpoint - freedom
Types of Freedom
- Only the king is free
Greeks > some are free, citizens
Germanic > with Christianity, all are free
Francis Fukuyama’s book
The End of History
Fukuyama»_space; History
Collapse of USSR proves that democratic capitalism has won and there is no other alternative; 9/11 proved that there are some ideologies that disagree with democracy
Samuel Huntington’s book
The Clash of Civilization
Huntington»_space; history
There are 5 different civilizations, and they’re all rooted in religious beliefs, and there’s a lot of conflict
The Whig View of History
Progress is inevitable; the present generation is necessarily the most advanced of any in history; as soon as your kids grow up, you’re obsolete
Feudalsim
A feudal system is characterized by the separation of powers; church, king, nobility