Paine used Common Sense as a great tool to let the commoners and less educated to gain some insight on the role and purpose of government. Firstly, Paine makes a distinction between government and society. Paine states: “Society is everything constructive and good that people join together to accomplish. Government, on the other hand, is an institution whose sole purpose is to protect us from our own vices. Government has its origins in the evil of man and is therefore a necessary evil at best.” He goes on to say that “government's sole purpose is to protect life, liberty and property, and that a government should be judged solely on the basis of the extent to which it accomplishes this goal.” Basically, Paine is stating to the common people that they have the opportunity to form their own representation of government and do it in a way that truly represents their wants and needs.
To me, anyone (race and religion don’t matter) can be an American as long as they believe in freedom and equal rights, love the United States, and consider it their home and where they belong. If you ask someone what they think an American is, many will say “a citizen of the United States” or “someone from America.” If you think about it, no one is from America. All of us came from somewhere. Just
Thoreau believes in a government that puts the needs of the people ahead of the needs of the unjust few. His belief can be misinterpreted as a cry to abolish the government but he makes it clear by stating, “But to speak practically and as a citizen, unlike those who call themselves no-government men, I ask for, not at once no government, but at once a better government” (Thoreau 830). This sentence is the most important statement made by Thoreau because it is the starting point of what he wants in an American Government. He does not ask for a perfect government but a fair and free government. He goes on to say that some injustice was far too great to overlook, such as slavery.
“Under the Articles, disorder within the states were not manageable. Some states adopted trade tariffs and further barriers to foreign commerce that were contrary to the interests of other states. Tax and other barriers were also being erected between the states. But even after the ratification of the Constitution, the states continued to be more important than the national government. For nearly a century and a half, virtually all of the fundamental policies governing the lives of Americans were made by the state legislatures, not by congress.” (American Government pg.
However, just because we are American does not mean our views on the type of freedom will meet eye-to-eye. Religion is something that everyone knows should be respected, but sometimes isn’t. It always made me wonder how the very thing that started America could be so forgotten. There are days when I struggle with people accepting my faith. I get so frustrated because I think, “This is America, the land of the free.
We are governed by public and private interests. These interests are based on our very own constitution that is set up to give everyone an opportunity to succeed in our growing culture. American Exceptionalism is partially a reflection of our nation’s long history, but Americans can tend to be ethnocentric and judge other cultures by the standards of their own. When a lot of people think of America, they think about a country that is made up of a mixing bowl of races and ethnicities. They think of a culture that is founded on constitutional rights and god given freedoms that everyone should have.
Our forefathers fought enough. Must we pose as allies but yet still have to fight for what we want? Men and women are equal. This law is in my opinion is communism. Are we not "The Land of the Free?"
Civic Involvement – A Founding Principle of American Values In The Founders’ Embrace of Both Rights and Duties, Thomas West does an excellent job of explaining John Locke’s theories regarding government and citizenship. Of course Locke was arguably the strongest influence to the Founders and the formation of the American Republic. The first concept is that duty is implied in ones’ “unalienable rights”. One can pursue life, liberty, and happiness, as long as they are not infringing on anyone else’s life or liberty. One’s first interest is self-preservation, but “Lockean self-interest proves to be inseparable from service to others.” (West, 2008, p. 594) Locke also speaks of Biblical principles where a man born free must work for himself and not live off the labor of others.
Jon Cunningham English 1301 Dr. Miller 22 Nov 2013 An American Conscience The United States of America has been a beacon of light for those seeking to live a life free from oppression. Those landing on her shores come seeking a life where they can achieve any dream they strive for and the freedom do as they please without fearing recourse from an oppressive government. According to our Constitution, our government receives its limited powers from the people and is held accountable to those same people every election cycle. These same people expect their government to make and pass laws that reflect the good of the country as a whole and respect the individual liberties that each citizen enjoys. Closer examination shows that our Constitutional
“That’s the American dream – the idea that we are responsible for ourselves, but that we also rise or fall as one nation; the fundamental belief that I am my brother’s keeper; I am my sister’s keeper”. Barack Obama’s main argument in the speech is that they can’t turn back. They have to believe in the American promise, to help each other. To keep each other safes, and give every family and person in America that safety they have with the American promise. In the speech he says; “Instead, it is the American spirit – that American promise – that pushes is forward even