Constitutional Government in the United States

Woodrow Wilson

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2017
• ISBN:
  9781351526357
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Politica e relazioni internazionali
• Subtopic: Politica

One of the genuine classics of American political science literature, Constitutional Government in the United States is also a subtle and influential criticism of the American founding fathers produced during the Progressive Era. Wilson's interpretation of the Constitution shaped the thought of scholars and students of American politics. His definition of constitutional government and the place of the United States in the development of constitutional theory continues to shape discourse today. Wilson discusses the three branches of government in the United States, the relation between the states and the federal government and party government in a manner quite distinct from the founding fathers. Constitutional Government has its origins in a series of lectures Wilson delivered at Columbia University in 1907. It is carefully organized around three separate but mutually supporting arguments. First, is the idea that constitutional government evolves historically from primitive beginnings of the state toward a universal and ideal form. Second, this idea of historical evolution contains within it an analysis of how and where the Constitution fits into the evolutionary process as a whole. Third, the historical thesis itself provides a prescription for bringing American government, and with it the Constitution, into accord with his first principle of the ideal form of modern government.In his new introduction, Sidney A. Pearson explores how, with Constitutional Government in the United States, Wilson helped create a new genre of political writing using the point of view of a literary politician. He discusses Wilson's intention to replace the constitutional argument of the founders with one of his own based on the application of Darwinian metaphor in a political science framework. And he examines the differences between the views launched by Wilson and those set forth by James Madison in The Federalist. This is an essential work for all interested in the evolution of Amer

Index

Action, sobering to opinion, 39; allowed. no vent becomes dangerous, 40

Acts of a session, The, not the product of common counsel, 103

Adaptation, Process of constitutional, 193

Adjustment, The principle of the freest right and opportunity of, 5-6; between the government and the individual, 18; between the government and the popular thought and need, 23—24; of the Constitution to the exigencies and new aspects of life, 192

Advisers, Independent, in position to be masters, 139

Agitation, fixed upon conviction, cannot be allayed, 37; free under popular government, 38; dangerous where there are no suitable institutions, 39

America, abounds in the vitality of variety, 51; economic and social contrasts in, do not fellow state linos, 180; a nation in the making, 182

American Congress and English Parliament originally of the same model, 82, 86

American form of government, 40-44

American political system distinguished by the extreme vitality of its parts, 182

American president and. English king originally of the same model, 82

American Revolution, The, a part of tile Whig contest for constitutional liberties, 198-99

Appointments to office, a severe tax on the President, 79; federal, not controlled by bosses, 215; responsible and irresponsible, 215-16

Assemblies, representative, Development of functions of, 11—15; essential to a constitutional system, 24; need of, for discussion, 102, 103; need of genuine, 222

Bagehot's, Mr., compliment to Americans, 59

Barons, The, and King John, at Runnymede, 2-3; contended for the privileges of a nation, 6, 7; 53

Bill of Rights, The, a part of the written constitution of England. 22; may be ignored by act of Parliament, 144; defines rights as against the crown, not against "Parliament, 145

Body politic, Parties our real. 218-20

Boss. No national, 214

Bosses and managers, Political, nominate candidates, 190; required in party organization, 206—10; natural fruits of the tree, 210; discontent with, 213—14; control selection of members of Congress, 214-15

British North America Act, The, 146-47

Bryce, James, on our constitutions, 147

Burke, on what a free government is, 4; on American legislatures, 13

Cabinet, The, an executive, not a political body, 76; two views of the character of the, 77

Cabinet meetings deal only with larger matters of policy, not with details, 67

Cabinet officers in line of succession for presidency, 64; more active than. President in executing laws, 66; are shut out from Congress, 73: various sources whence drawn, 75-76

Canada, The constitution of, an Act of Parliament, 146-47

Candidates named by political bosses and managers, 190; too numerous for voters to select, 206

Caucus, of each party in the Senate, has its Committee on Committees, 133; chairman of the majority, the leader of the Senate, 133-34; nearly the counterpart of the Speaker, 134

Centralization not vitalization, 197

Chase, Salmon P., Views of, on greenbacks, as Secretary of Treasury and as Chief Justice, 164

Checks and balances, the orthodox gospel of government, 200; carried to extremes, 204; we must make less of, 221

'Child labor, Proposed federal legislation on, 179

China and Russia, military nations, subjugated from without, 28-29; people in, not. conscious of a common interest, 28; stagnation of peoples, 29

citizenship, Responsibility of, 23

City government. Failure in, 196; reorganization in, 197

Civil War, The, called the nation to consciousness and to action, 48; social contrast between North and South before, 218-19

Cleveland, Mr., and his great role in affairs, 58; his second cabinet, 76

Colonial charters superseded by state constitutions, 147

Colonies, The, grown into states, 44; community of interest developed in, in struggle for independence, 44; social and economic differences between, 45-46; operated under charters from the crown, 146; task of combining, 161

Colonists, Capacity of the, for self-government, 27; community of interest among the, 44

Commerce, stale and interstate, 17071, 178-79; difficult to distinguish, 185-86; of great railways not the commerce of wagon roads, 192

Committee on Committees of each party in Senate, 133: influence of caucus chairman through, 134

Committee on Rules of the House of Rep...