Warning: Use of undefined constant referer - assumed 'referer' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /usr/home/essaywo/public_html/essays on line 102

Warning: Use of undefined constant host - assumed 'host' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /usr/home/essaywo/public_html/essays on line 105

Warning: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /usr/home/essaywo/public_html/essays:102) in /usr/home/essaywo/public_html/essays on line 106

Warning: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /usr/home/essaywo/public_html/essays:102) in /usr/home/essaywo/public_html/essays on line 109
Jefferson And Socrates' Idea Of Democracy - College Term Paper

Jefferson And Socrates' Idea Of Democracy



Thomas Jefferson's idea of democracy was one in which people had the right to question the government. Just as Socrates' mission was that of questioning everything and everyone. Socrates educated many and created followers intent on continuing Socrates' work. In effect this is quite similar if not the same as Jefferson's ideas that the people have the right to alter or abolish a government if it violates them.
Socrates believed that "The unexamined life is not worth living.", similarly one of Jefferson's ideas was basically that the unexamined and unchecked government is not worth having. He said "...governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the ...

Want to read the rest of this paper?
Join Essayworld today to view this entire essay
and over 50,000 other term papers

large part of society and ultimately executed.(Kaplan, 1951, 13) Jefferson similarly was ostracized for his criticism's of Federalist policies, but he was embraced by those who shared his views, namely the republicans of his day. Socrates too had those who supported him, those included his pupils such as Crito, Phaedo, and most namely Plato. (Kaplan, 1951)
Even though Jefferson was in fact the founder of the Republican political party, and contributed greatly to America's two party system. Jefferson himself did not affiliate himself with a party. In a letter to Francis Hopkins, Jefferson wrote, "If I could go to heaven but with a party, I would not go there at all." (Peterson, 1984, 941). While he did grossly disagree with Hamilton and the federalists he did approach the world with and open mind.
Jefferson was always a proponent of rights of the people, and feared the threat of an elected monarchy. It was for these reasons that Jefferson led the fight for the addition of the Bill of ...

Get instant access to over 50,000 essays.
Write better papers. Get better grades.


Already a member? Login

federal government's power should be much more encompassing. Hamilton’s basis for this is in the "Elastic Clause", Article 1, Section 8, Clause 18,

" And to make all laws which shall be necessary and proper
for carrying into execution the foregoing powers, and all
other powers vested in this constitution in the government
of the United States or in any department or office
thereof." (Wheeler Handout).

Both men used each citation from the constitution to support their respective opinions. Jefferson accused Hamilton and the federalists of many grievances. In a letter to George Washington in 1792 Jefferson wrote, "His [Hamilton] system flowed from principles adverse to liberty , & ...

Succeed in your coursework without stepping into a library.
Get access to a growing library of notes, book reports,
and research papers in 2 minutes or less.


CITE THIS PAGE:

Jefferson And Socrates' Idea Of Democracy. (2005, December 28). Retrieved March 29, 2024, from http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Jefferson-And-Socrates-Idea-Of-Democracy/38748
"Jefferson And Socrates' Idea Of Democracy." Essayworld.com. Essayworld.com, 28 Dec. 2005. Web. 29 Mar. 2024. <http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Jefferson-And-Socrates-Idea-Of-Democracy/38748>
"Jefferson And Socrates' Idea Of Democracy." Essayworld.com. December 28, 2005. Accessed March 29, 2024. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Jefferson-And-Socrates-Idea-Of-Democracy/38748.
"Jefferson And Socrates' Idea Of Democracy." Essayworld.com. December 28, 2005. Accessed March 29, 2024. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Jefferson-And-Socrates-Idea-Of-Democracy/38748.
JOIN NOW
Join today and get instant access to this and 50,000+ other essays


PAPER DETAILS
Added: 12/28/2005 06:15:47 PM
Category: Government
Type: Free Paper
Words: 1430
Pages: 6

Save | Report

SHARE THIS PAPER

SAVED ESSAYS
Save and find your favorite essays easier

SIMILAR ESSAYS
» Operant Conditioning and Positi...
» The Scarlet Letter: The Symbol ...
» A Democratic Society
» The Genius Of China - 3000 Yea
» Man With The Movie Camera: Sho...
» Deception in Macbeth
» Sex And Death In Literature
» Memoirs Of A Mountain High
» Thomas Alva Edison
» Greek Mythology
Copyright | Cancel | Contact Us

Copyright © 2024 Essayworld. All rights reserved