Topics and synopses

"Underlying all human regulation were the rights of man and the fundamental law. Government was an attempt to work the machinery of society in conformity with these underlying obligations. A constitution was an effort to set down in writing the most important of these rules. By it the people conferred authority upon governors, judges, and assemblies, and also limited it. . . . So long as the people were in the colonial condition , their laws and the decisions of their courts had been reviewed in England . . . The people of the STates were, therefore, accustomed to a written organic law, and to a fundamental law explanatory of it. . . . Thus there came into being four distinct laws: the political theory at the basis of human society, the fundamental law which was no other than the Common Law of England, the written state constitution, and the laws made by the legislature; their authority was in precisely this order."(chapter XIV)

Inalienable Rights

Inalienable Rights discusses the underlying political theory--that 'all men are created equal' and are endowed with the right to life, liberty, and property. In addition to our own Declaration of independence, there were a number of influential writers in the 18th century that shaped both English and American political theory. Inalienable Rights is the discussion of that theory.

America's Heritage

History of the most relevant events and historical trends that shaped American political thought leading up to the revolutionary war. Most of it will come from the colonial time period, but not all--since our early political thought was directly descended from the evolution of liberty in England and the English Common Law.

Independence

Independence from England was an idea that gathered momentum slowly at first. At the time of the battle of Bunker Hill, Americans were still thinking in terms of asserting their rights as British subjects, not as independent states. There was tipping point at which all thought turned to independence. This is a discussion of how that happened and matured.

This section could be combined with the previous into 'America's Heritage and Independence' since there is some overlap which could cause confusion about where to place articles.

Liberty and Constitution

For Civicwiki, this section and the two that follow are the heart of the matter. The previous three are background material.

This topic will contain articles that discuss the Constitution itself as well as the debate that lead up to it's ratification. That public forum for that debate were newspaper articles now published as The Federalist Papers and The Anti-Federalist Papers.

This topic is also for articles that discuss the political theory of 'rule of law'. This is the idea that the enjoyment of our fundamental rights of life, liberty, and property should be protected by overarching fundamental law and put as far out of reach of democratic impulses as possible--hence the constitution that describes and limits the power of government.

Economic Freedom

The most fundamental kind of freedom. Though most early Americans thought in terms of political freedom, It was infringements on economic freedom that set them off. Indeed, political freedom in the absence of economic freedom is an oxymoron. Political freedoms must be accompanied by a like amount of economic freedom. On the other hand, it is possible to have economic freedom in an environment of restricted political freedom--and there have been instances of such in recent history (but not in America).

Articles in this section discuss economic freedom and what it means.

What Government do We Want

Classic Liberalism vs. Progressivism.

Classic Liberalism is the political theory that guided the creation of the U.S.--the theory that says that men are endowed with certain unalienable rights. That government is a necessary evil and society should tolerate only as much government as is needed to guarantee those rights.

Progressivism views government not as a necessary evil, but as a force for good. That government is the source of rights and rights are as many and as generous as the government determines.

This is like the chapter that comes at the end of a book that tries to bring closure to all the points that the book is trying to make. In light of everything that has been said in the articles of the previous 5 topics, how should we want our government to behave?