With the Continental Army's victory at Yorktown on October 19, 1781, the American Revolution ends with a British withdrawal. The Treaty of Paris in 1783 grants the new nation a significant claim to territories in the Americas. Governing this large nation is a real challenge with not many models to follow.
The First Nations' empire of the Iroquois will be the first model that the new nation looks to and that Confederation style of government is attempted by the United States.
The key issue is of course is not replacing British Rule with something that is just as oppressive.
Answer this question in the comments and is our practice, reply to two others:
What is the
easiest way to guarantee that a new national government can never become
oppressive? What choices can be made in its design? (Name One and defend your point)
I think the best way to ensure that a government can't/will become oppressive is electing civilians/people to government with experience. I mean we can't just have the riches/high-class dominating the decisions of the middle/low class. Making sure that civilians take part in government through voting is also essential.
ReplyDeleteI agree - in order to have a fair and un-oppressive government the elected officials actually need to be representing the people, who are in majority middle and low class citizens.
DeleteGood point about not allowing the rich and powerful to be the only ones allowed to vote.
DeleteI agree someone who has no idea what they're doing should not be in power but there needs to be someone who can represent others as well.
DeleteAgreed. They must be able to represent the people, but also be eligible for the job to prevent corruption.
DeleteI agree, the middle class people would certainly represent the general public better than others.
DeleteThe easiest way to guarantee that a new national government can never become oppressive is to make sure that elected officials are never in power for very long, and that they can be easily removed from office. By making sure that leaders only stayed in power for a short period, the government ensured they could not make any substantial or more “out there” changes to the government. And then if the elected official is chosen every year (or just frequently) the national government can ensure that the people are the ones voting the person into office. Also, a system of impeachment is important, which would make sure that if the leader took too much control, or did some illegal act the people and the government as a whole would have the power to remove them from office.
ReplyDeleteI agree as well, having a elected official having no set term can mean its more or so something functioning like a dictator, or the form of it.
DeleteI agree, making sure an elected official can't just stay in power forever is crucial so that they can't just stay in power and be corrupted.
DeleteI strongly agreed. There must be a way to balance and check power (like in the US government) so that dictatorships and perpetuating systems of corruption don't form.
DeleteAgreed. Having a way to make sure that the elected official can be removed by the people can stop the government from becoming oppressive.
DeleteI agree making it so that elected officials can be easier removed allows security that the person will not become like a dictator.
DeleteI think that this is definitely an interesting response, because, although it does a good job in preventing oppression, it makes it difficult for much progress to be made and many acts or amendments to be passed since it would be so simple to remove people from office and thus halt anything they are doing.
DeleteI think the best way to ensure a new government isn't as oppressive as the last is to ensure that there are checks and balances, like term limits, and specific powers for multiple branches of government. Also to take into account the will of the minority and majority so that no one gets oppressed, like the House of Representatives and the Senate. Also to make sure the powerful people are elected by the people and not just based on who their family was. Also easy access to education to the masses so they can make informed decisions.
ReplyDeleteThat's a good idea, as I can see how just electing the most popular person and giving them absolute power could absolutely have its cons.
DeleteI agree, especially when it comes to education. One form of oppression of enslaved people was not giving them access to education
DeleteI agree, education for the general public is really important in creating a democratic government.
DeleteGood point. A dynamic government, with term limits that ensure people change seats often, is less likely to become oppressive because no single person is holding power for more than a few years at a time.
DeleteI agree, a system of checks and balances is the most efficient way to stop corruption.
DeleteOne way to ensure a new government is less oppressive is to allow those in charge to be chosen by the majority of those in the nation. This way, the population of the nation themselves decides who is in charge, and that way a consensus can be reached on who is most fit to lead.
ReplyDeleteI agree, it shouldn't just be some elite people to decide who is in charge. It should be a majority.
DeleteAgreed, the nation itself, the people of the nation decide those that should be the leaders.
DeleteI agree if most people agree with who's in charge the government won't have to be oppressive.
DeleteAgreed. Allowing citizens to determine their leaders is an effective way to avoid oppression.
DeleteAgreed. Allowing citizens to determine their leaders is an effective way to avoid oppression.
DeleteI agree, it avoids more conflicts between the government and the citizens in regards to who should be in charge.
DeleteYeah, the popular vote makes the most sense. By using the electoral collage, we allow voter disenfranchisement.
DeleteI agree. Allowing people to vote for who they want would make everybody feel like they've been heard.
DeleteI agree, since this option allows for the people to truly decide their representatives.
DeleteA way to ensure a new government doesn't become oppressive can be by making sure the people in charge have studied different forms of governments so they can know how to hold power and what makes a government successful. Another way could be that the people in power have a limited time and are elected by the people so if there ever comes a time they can remove them from power.
ReplyDeleteI agree. Observing the history of oppressive governments is a good way to ensure that mistakes are not repeated as that would lead to the establishment of another oppressive system.
DeleteI like this idea of removing people from power since they have limited time in their position, instead of monarchs reigning until death or resignation.
DeleteThis is a problematic response, since, if the idea is to elect "scholarly" and educated people who have studied government extensively, those people are almost always rich, white men who hardly represent the majority of America.
DeleteOne of the main reasons that made the British so oppressive was their lack of citizen representation. The easiest way to avoid establishing an oppressive government like the former is to implement a system with active participation of the people in politics. This includes free and fair elections and just the general regulation and enforcement of rules upon those elected into the government by the people.
ReplyDeleteI agree, Charlotte. When the people can elect officials and actively participate in government, it is directly reflected in laws and policies that get passed. Governments become out of touch and oppressive when only the wealthy or privileged are making decisions for a whole country.
DeleteAgreed, implementing a democratic system ensures that governments remain relevant and that they serve the governed the way they should.
DeleteI agree, especially because by representing the people, you are also opening the door to chances to further diversity and the rights of oppressed groups.
DeleteI don't think it is possible for a government to never become oppressive because governments are constantly changing from what they were originally. However, we can put safeguards in place. For example, democratically elected officials with a cap on the amount of years they can serve would ensure a government that somewhat meets the needs of the people for at least a short amount of time.
ReplyDeleteI am not sure no government could be free of oppression, but I agree it hasn't happened yet.
DeleteI was thinking about this too- it seems improbable that a government will ever be completely just, but I do agree that term limits allow the government to fill with new perspectives and voices.
DeleteI think that the easiest way to prevent oppression is to let the people have a say in regards to who should be the leaders. If they do not have the opportunity to vote, likely, the wealthy and powerful would just make the decisions for them. This would cause a lot of conflict between the government and the citizens. Additionally, even if the people agreed on certain candidates, they should only be in power for a certain amount of time to avoid corrupt leaders.
ReplyDeleteI agree, voting is one of the most fundamental aspects of what makes just and open governments work. Without a proper voting system in place, the government does not accurately serve its constituents.
DeleteYes, and voting also allows for government officials to be voted out as well (if they are failing to properly run the nation).
DeleteA way to ensure that a new government cannot become oppressive is to enforce checks and balances like impeachment, term limits, and the ability of the population to have a say. The ability to remove the corrupt from the government is essential to keeping a fair governing system, and a fair system for doing so is important. Giving the governed voice is also important because giving the people power in enacting policy will be reflected in the quality of those policies.
ReplyDeleteAgreed. I see a lot of people talking about preventing corruption, but being able to remove corruption is just as important.
DeleteOne way to ensure a government does not become oppressive is to have representation in the government. By placing the power in the hands of the few, a government ensures that it will become oppressive. It is vital for a government to be led by the people, for the people. If a group is not represented in the government, the government is wont to oppress them.
ReplyDeleteIn order to ensure that the government doesn't become oppressive is by allowing a majority of the people from different classes vote for who they want in the government. This will make sure that everybody feels like they get heard.
ReplyDeleteI agree, this would fit really well, since the majority is more in the bottom of the classes, giving them a say would ensure they don't feel oppressed.
DeleteAs long as a government is designed to follow the interests of the largest number of people possible, it won't become oppressive, because you can't be oppressed by people who share your exact same values and beliefs. A government that succumbs to private or foreign interests does not give the general public a say. In its design, a government should try to serve the largest amount of people as is possible, and no one else, or else oppression can easily happen.
ReplyDeleteI agree, if the government can remain unbiased and unaffected by religion and personal interest, then it would eliminate a lot of prevalent issues
DeleteI believe the key way to make sure that the new government is not a repeat of Britain is by distributing power equally and based on eligibility for the position, not by wealth or bloodline. This would ensure that people in power would be responsible and the nation would have a say in their laws.
ReplyDeleteI think this is a good idea since the bloodline/wealth government can become tyrannical.
DeleteI agree this ensures that the power is dispersed and given to not just those with wealth or have a bloodline of people that are wealthy.
DeleteIn order for the government to remain unoppressive, there are many ways for it to be so, and one of them is rights to office by the people. Previously in Europe, nobles were dominating the feudalistic landscape, and the kings were often noblemen. These noblemen weren't and kings weren't very experience in government, so allowing regular people in the nation to hold office is an important and powerful change to include.
ReplyDeleteI agree with this, the citizens can keep the government in check.
DeleteA way to keep a government from becoming oppressive is having citizens participate in it. If citizens are involved, then they can decide when a government is becoming oppressive. If they do become oppressive, then the citizens could decide to replace the government with a new one. The citizens can help keep the government in check.
ReplyDeleteI agree as if people, who are in unison, band together they would be able to keep things in order as well as take out and replace the government
DeleteI totally agree! The only way to ensure that each person is represented and protected is for their input to be heard, be it through vote or representation.
DeleteA way to avoid an oppressive government is by instating a system of democracy where citizens decide who runs their nation. This way, all government officials have been elected, and are hence likely going to run the country well. Further, if the government is failing to run the country responsibly, then citizens can vote government officials out.
ReplyDelete-Sasha. Not sure why it reverted back to "unknown."
DeleteYes, if people have a say, then it is most likely the government will listen to the commoners and it will not be oppressive.
DeleteOne way that an oppressive government can be avoided is by making it so that the people elected for high positions of power are of the middle class/general public of people. This will make sure that the population is properly and fairly looked after and taken into account.
ReplyDeleteI agree, it as well allows the people who elected the individual to have a sense of relatability
DeleteYes, it his very important to make sure the people have voice.
DeleteI agree this ensures the people on the lower scale have a voice and a say.
DeleteThe easiest way to guarantee that a new national government can never become oppressive is to make sure that no one is in power for so long and for the power to be distributed between eligible people of different classes in the government system. The distribution of power would allow the person in charge to not be able to proclaim an absolute rule of power along with a reasonable timeframe, and the representation being diverse brings a sense of unity to the people, who have a say in how they are governed.
ReplyDeleteI think the best way to make sure a new national government does not become oppressive is to limit the power they hold. If one authority holds too much power, there is nothing else anyone can do to stop them from becoming manipulative. But, if the people have a voice and the authority has a limit to its power, then there is a chance to stop a government from becoming oppressive. When the people notice too much control, they can step in and change the laws.
ReplyDeleteOne way to guarantee that a new national government can't be oppressive is have the rules made around the people. What the people want, what they feel are their needs. Listening to them will avoid another oppressive government and one that can last a long time.
ReplyDeleteI somewhat agree—a democracy is a good form of government, but we also need checks on the power of the people.
DeleteI think a surefire way to stop oppression from appearing in a government is to create a system of checks and balances, where no one group has too much power, or a similar system where the people could hold higher officials accountable.
ReplyDeleteI think there is no one way to run a government, but if the sole goal is to avoid any type of oppression, then I would agree with the majority of people in this class and say that the key is accurate representation. Additionally, a key aspect which has been overlooked by many is to ensure that all children receive great education in the history of government, oppression, dictatorships, and read about philosophers who have written on these topics. This is important because the whole of society will be much smarter and knowledgable on how and what to expect from a good government.
ReplyDeleteI think your point about education is really interesting but accurate—people should have a good understanding of the government and how it works so they can work in everyone’s best interest.
DeleteI think that a government is only functional if it is representative of ALL it's people, and allowing voter equality and representation is the only way to prevent oppression. This ensures that the government function for the people, that each person has their voice heard. When one person or group has too much power, and is no longer accountable for the people they represent, then that government is oppressive.
ReplyDeleteI fully agree with this and just want to add that if a government does choose not to allow certain people rights, they should then be excluded from other laws as well. For example I think if a person is not able to vote for whatever reason, they should be excluded from being forced to pay taxes as that would latterly be taxation without representation.
DeleteIn order to prevent a government from becoming oppressive, checks and balances must be established—power must be distributed throughout the people and the different branches of government. This way, the branches and the people have to work together in order to create a working government system.
ReplyDeleteYes, and this must extend to marginalized groups and younger people who may not have much representation in government. To truly make a government unoppressive all people's opinions must be taken into consideration.
DeleteTo ensure that the government doesn't become oppressive, I believe it'd make sense to never allow a political leader to remain in power for more than four years unless voted otherwise. It would also be beneficial to set age limits for becoming elected, like once you turn 65, you should not be able to become an elected official. Ideals may be outdated and of course, the older one is, the less with the times they may become, we cannot risk a political leader having a less than progressive view.
ReplyDelete