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The Radical Political Philosophy Of Thomas Jefferson

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While trying to gather resources for the bibliography, I employed various search terms and databases to find my sources and experienced problems along the way. To begin the process, I first tried to narrow down the three sources I wanted to use. I used Wake Tech’s libguides, specifically the academic search complete, the history reference center, and credo reference. To find “The Radical Political Philosophy of Thomas Jefferson,” I logged onto academic search complete and was directed to Ebsco host. I typed “Thomas and Jefferson” in the search box under Boolean search terms, and narrowed my search down to peer-reviewed scholarly journals. I spent time looking through each article to make sure I found one that contained vast information and …show more content…

“The Radical Political Philosophy of Thomas Jefferson.” Midwest Studies in Philosophy 28.1 (2004): 37-57. Academic Search Complete. Web. 18 Oct. 2014. In “The Radical Political Philosophy of Thomas Jefferson,” Richard K. Matthews discusses Jefferson’s political beliefs during his presidency, beginning with his view of owning property. Jefferson believed every white male American citizen has a right to farm land and, at one point, even proposed allowing the government to give 50 acres of property to any white non-property owning male (47). Jefferson also believed every young person should have the ability to make his own political decisions, and thus should be able to decide what do with land he may or may not have (47). Jefferson stressed the rights of liberty, freedom, happiness, and no intrusive government during his presidency, despite not considering liberty for women and enslaved individuals, both of whom did not experience freedom (53). Jefferson also believed the country would always be in a state of turmoil, and such chaos created a powerful political system …show more content…

Jefferson had hoped this would, in part, create an everlasting revolution. Jefferson wanted each individual in each generation to be able to tailor their own government and, if need be, create a revolution. Jefferson believed every generation should have their own form of government, a political philosophy that few shared with him (49). During his time, Jefferson expressed disappointment at the lack of revolution, and said that in order to have liberty, people have to die (56). Jefferson could not envision a proper government without bloodshed; he believed a government needed bloodshed in order to enact change (56). This information relates to the thesis because it demonstrates the kind of beliefs Jefferson held during his presidency, and what may have motivated him to behave in certain ways. This information gives an explanation for Jefferson’s behavior and the reasons behind his actions. By historians knowing this information, they can perhaps understand why Jefferson instituted certain policies and regulations as president. The thesis is developed because once this information has been found, the thesis does not become as broad. This information can be used to determine whether historians believe Jefferson was a good president. This information helps the thesis become developed as the reader leans more about

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Though Wills undeniably does an excellent job recounting the never ending problems of Jefferson throughout the novel, his organization and jumping of one idea to the next leave much to desire. This jumping of one subject to the other might be in place to keep the reader alert and interested, it causes for a jumble of topics that at some points make it hard to grasp the main concepts. Another flaw of Wills is not so much of the ideas but of the direct quotes from his sources that at so points in the book can confuse readers with it wide vocabulary usage. His intricate quotations help not only in supporting his ideas but allow a small challenge to be undertaken. Wills’ uses an exceedingly varied group of sources that strengthen the credibility of his book as it helps reiterate his main arguments.

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Jefferson wrote about the ideals and principles of equality and even proposed some small steps toward ending American slavery. But he also owned people and was completely dependent on them for his livelihood and personal comfort until the day he died” (143). He establishes his view and then backs it up with the irony of Jefferson writing of equality, yet owning slaves until he died, which he uses as his justification. By using the assertion/justification, he aids

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“Experience hath shewn, that even under the best forms of government, those entrusted with power have, in time, and by slow operations, perverted it into tyranny,” said Thomas Jefferson, who believed in strict constitutional interpretation, a simple republican society, and the opposition of a powerful, centralized government. Opposed to Hamiltonian visions such as an industrialized nation, a powerful centralized government, the U.S Bank, high tariffs, and an approbation towards the white collar or upper class, Jefferson proposed ideals of agrarianism, a weak centralized government allowing more power to the individual, a miniscule standing army, and an approbation towards the blue collar or working class. Though Jefferson proposed many of these ideas, he was not able to act on many of them throughout his presidency. Due to certain circumstances dealing with war, the Embargo Act, and other urgencies during his presidency, Jefferson was forced into leading a more powerful, centralized government, contesting with his original hopes for the nation.

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As a leader of the party, Thomas Jefferson upheld general Democratic-Republican values for a majority of his presidency. After being elected in 1800, Jefferson stated, in a letter to one of his future cabinet members, “The true theory of our Constitution is surely the wisest and best that the states are independent as to everything within themselves” (Doc A). Jefferson stated his overall views as traditionally being in favor of state’s independence. He further reinforces his traditional Republican beliefs by expressing that the government should not be involved with religious affairs.

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“Poor food, hard lodging, cold weather, fatigue, nasty clothes, nasty cookery, vomit… why are we sent here to starve and freeze?”-Dr. Albigence Waldo “What we know today was not known in late December 1777, victory seemed a long way off; in fact for many, it seemed unlikely.” Had I been a soldier at Valley Forge, would I of given up? If I had the choice, I would have stayed, because of loyalty to our leaders and country, to stay a powerful nation, and for the freedom of me and the people of America. I would have stayed in the war, because I am loyal to our leaders and to America.

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Jefferson did not believe that there would be a solution for both races to live and be treated equally in America. Jefferson states, “Nothing is more certainly written in the book of fate than that these people are to be free. Nor is it less certain that the two races, equally free, cannot live in the same government.” He believed that blacks were animalistic, crude, alien and inferior to whites, therefore there was no way that both races would be able to live equally and together. This shows his pessimism and hopelessness of finding a solution for both blacks and whites within America.

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Barry Balleck says Jefferson believed people could be more easily influenced or manipulated by higher class members when large cities developed, which would soon happen if he did not expand the country. Jefferson firmly believed the decency of people

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Jefferson goes on to tell Gideon Granger how America was too large for one single government to run it and how it could never be balanced if they destroyed the state governments , create one government, and introduce monarchal elements (doc A). Gideon Granger even later went on to be a member of Jefferson’s cabinet. Moreover, the nation grew due to the Louisiana Purchase. The Louisiana Purchase was made by Jefferson and he purchased it from Napoleon. Although Livingston and Monroe did not have permission to make treaty, they did so anyways because they feared Napoleon would withdraw the offer.

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government. Another reason why Jefferson would be a better president than Adams would be because of his reasoning that the people should have the rights to elect their executive and legislative branch, but also decide by jury themselves. Jefferson thought this because without having the right of the people to vote in their government would make the government be too much like a monarchy. To prevent the government to be like a monarch he proposed a right that ,”all power is inherited in the people: that they may exercise it themselves, in all cases to which they think themselves competent, as in electing their functionaries executive and legislative, and deciding by jury themselves...that it is their right and duty to be at all times armed. ”(-Jefferson)

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One of the biggest influences that John Locke had on President Jefferson was, what John Locke dubbed, “Natural Rights,” and what Jefferson called, “Unalienable Rights.” Meaning practically the same thing, these rights were very similar, and it is obvious that Jefferson’s version derives from Locke’s ‘Natural Rights.’ John Locke’s version stated that all peoples shall possess the following rights: Life, Liberty, and Property. In this case, life means, that people people will fight to live and want to survive. Liberty refers to being free, and being able to make one’s own decision.

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Thomas Jefferson was the third elected president of the United States. He believed violence and war was unjustifiable, foreign alliances should be avoided, and was a advocate that the constitution should be strictly interpreted. His beliefs and desire to make America a powerful nation contradicted each other during the Tripolitan war, the Louisiana Purchase, and the Embargo Act. Jefferson was challenged personally and philosophically. Before the Tripolitan War, Jefferson wanted the United States to set an example for the world by not using military forces and gaining friends by peaceful coercion.

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In the period of 1800 to 1810, the power dynamic between the Federalists and Republicans shifted as Thomas Jefferson, the founder of Jeffersonian-Republicans, was elected into office. However, rather than sticking to the ideals that made Republicans such strict constructionists, Jefferson went on to interpret the Constitution rather loosely during his time in office. Thomas Jefferson is quite a complicated character in history as despite writing the iconic and long time debated phrase “all men are created equal,” he himself held many slaves in his Monticello plantation. It is inferred that Jefferson was hopeful that slavery in the south would eventually come to an end, but alas he never lived to see just how deeply the fight over slavery would divide the country.

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Jefferson saw that slavery was a racial-based capitalistic system that had little reason to thrive and flourish because the ethics and values that the United States

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"Jefferson won most of the important political battles he engaged in, and he did not live long enough to face the actuality of widespread slave rebellions." Jefferson, as well as many other great leaders, like Martin Luther King Jr., Muhammad Ali, and Edward Snowden, fought peacefully for Americans to have rights. They put their lives in danger, so Americans, can have equal rights. "The right of a revolution was seen as a necessary defense of freedom. " I thank these people, these hero's, for risking their lives, to ensure that I, and millions of other people, have a better

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Thomas Jefferson’s works and ideas laid the foundation for several key aspects on the limits of the United States government, the idea of separation of church and state, and the importance of personal rights. Jefferson wrote many influential pieces of literature which pushed the concept of having limited government power. Jefferson wanted America not to be like the European monarchies that fell due to religious strife, so he emphasized a secular government. Jefferson, following closely with the ideas of John Locke, stressed the importance of the protection of individual rights against the government. Thomas Jefferson believed that a government should have limitations.

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