America’s political heritage is government by the people, but in the Federalist Papers (specifically #s 10 and 51) we find examples of a distrust of the common man and human nature. This distrust stemmed in part from Thomas Hobbes’ ideas as well as their own experiences with the British Parliament and King. The paradox was that government by the people carried inherent dangers. The Founders distrusted human nature and the people’s ability to govern themselves. How did America’s Founding Fathers structure the American government, under the new Constitution, to resolve this paradox? Support your conclusions.
For your reference, the following are links to Thomas Hobbes’ Leviathan, Chapters 13-14; John Locke’s Two Treatises on Government, Chapters II and VII; the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and the Federalist Papers Numbers 10 and 51.
