Lao Tzu Oligarchies

Jefferson had a quote about how previous rulers had lost their trust because they had too much power and didn't have good morals, such as John Adams. He believes that having a strong central government would lead to tyranny in the country and cause too many problems. Such as in document C he is quoted, “Experience hath shown that even under the best forms of government those entrusted with power have in time, and by slow operations, perverted it into Tyranny”. He believed that they should follow what was listed in the constitution because every state agreed and signed it. Without the rules and morals listed in the constitution the country would lose all they had worked for when leaving England.

In his document, The Declaration of Independence (1776), Jefferson and the representatives in the general congress proclaim that because all men possess unalienable rights, and due to the transgressions committed by the repressive British King against the people of the 13 colonies, the colonists should be entitled to dissolve all allegiance to the crown of Great Britain, and engender a new nation that “[has] full power to levy war, conclude peace, contract alliances, establish commerce, and to do all other acts and things which independent states may of right do”(4). Jefferson supports this proclamation by enumerating the rights of people when both facing and not facing a corrupt government, distinguishing the copious actions of King George

On July 4, 1776, in Pennsylvania, Thomas Jefferson wrote a declaration of the colonies’ independence and separation from England. To approve or deny the “Declaration of Independence” is presented to the Second Continental Congress. Jefferson declares that the colonists deserve “unalienable rights” and that the colonists should be able to “throw off” any government that displays “absolute tyranny.” This document leads the way for the formation of the new “independent states”, where colonists can find “their safety and happiness.” Therefore, Jefferson persuades the colonists to join him in the separation from Britain to claim their rights and accuses King George as a tyrant.

In the Declaration Of Independence, Thomas Jefferson condones rebellion when a leader's power is being used in a way that is harmful to the people. He believes that the government has a responsibility to it’s people. He is justifying rebellious actions against the abuse of the King of Great Britain, and removing the negative connotation associated with it. He addresses this through logos, negative diction, and ethos.

The Declaration of Independence talks about how people want to change the government. Thomas Jefferson tried

Plato, the ancient Greek philosopher, laid out what he saw as good and bad government. To Plato, good government consisted of a King, Aristocracy, and Polity. In contrast, the bad government was made of a Tyrant, Oligarchy, and Democracy. Although very different, both good and bad have something in common, the rule of the one, the rule of the few, and the rule of the many. This fundamental point of dispersed government brought forth by Plato becomes the backbone of almost any governmental system seen around the world today.

These views were evident, and perhaps promoted, due to the continual control of government by aristocrats. These rulers sought to improve their own interests over those of the poleis, and promoted their own values and ideas. Aristotle believed that the best form of governing should be decided by those governed and, although he believed democracy to be the best of the examples of government, believed that voting would both satisfy the citizens’ desire for equality and avoid revolutions such as those that result from the tyrannies that had come before.

“Vigor of government is essential to the security of liberty”(Hamilton). Alexander Hamilton(1755-1804) was a prominent founding father and wrote a collection of essays with James Madison and John Jay called the Federalist Papers. Hamilton believed in a strong central government, and wrote these essays to persuade the ratification of the Constitution. Historically, Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson( were fierce opponents in politics with having completely different visions for the future of America, they agreed on the central goal of government. In The Declaration of Independence (DOI), Jefferson’s goal was to persuade his british readers that the American colonies were separating from the British Empire, and that the colonists had no choice. In The Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson challenges his audience’s beliefs through the use of persuasive techniques.

In Aristotle's Politics, he focuses much on the regimes of an oligarchy and of a democracy. Democracies exists when the free and poor, being a majority, have authority to rule, and have an equal share in the city. Oligarchies exists when the few wealthy and better born have authority and grant benefits in proportion to a person's wealth (1280a:10-30;1290a:5-10).

During the time leading up to July 4th, 1776, the colonies were ruled by King George III. Tyranny took hold of the colonies until Thomas Jefferson created The Declaration of Independence. In this document Jefferson stated numerous grievances against the king and depicted those hardships that the colonies experienced under his rule. Historians have come to debate whether these accusations were true or exaggerated. Many historical events demonstrate how these grievances had a negative effect on the colonies. Many of the colonies felt that laws were passed to benefit King George III without considering the needs of the colonies.

The reason why the Declaration of Independence is so persuasive is that Jefferson uses deductive arguments, which includes examples of Britain's wrong doings, which gives the person reading the document a chance to see exactly why they are breaking from Great Britain. One of the strongest deductive arguments in the declaration is, “That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among men”. This means that any legitimate government is created to protect peoples' rights such as, “Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness”. Throughout the declaration Jefferson shows how Great Britain is not protecting their rights, but interfering with them. For example, he states how the king keeps sending over soldiers and expects the people to house and feed them. How would you feel if the government just placed a stranger in your home and told you he could eat your hard-earned food? These soldiers were also allowed to disobey the laws in the colonies and not be punished for them. This is not what you call protecting peoples' rights; it is more like invading them. Another very strong deductive argument in this document is, “deriving their just power from the consent of the governed”. This means any power or authority that a government has is given to them by the consent of the people, but this right like many others was abused too. For instants, Jefferson

Aristotle identifies three models of government or regimes: first, the regime ruled by one person; second, the regime ruled by a few, and the regime ruled by many. Each of the three categories has two subcategories depending on the interests each regime serves, which are either the good of all or private interests.

Aristotle says that justice is thought of as equality among all, there is a disregard to merit (p.172). In a society, there is usually more poor people and because there is this demand of equality then the majority rule (p.174). Mob rule is then authoritative. All governments have their forms, which are good and are bad. Democracy to Aristotle is not the best regime because it is ruled by the poor or the ones that need from the government. Government is not chosen by those who pursue virtue, but instead pursue wealth. The democratic principle is that of freedom, wealth, and birth. Not virtue. He believes the best regime would not be exactly a democracy but a polity that would be a combination of freedom, wealth, birth and virtue. The best regime has ideal conditions in which it becomes a predictable regime and consists of values, choices, the inanimate, elements of the class of workers, and the education of rulers. Democracy has a big defect in that it does not have intelligence or wisdom. It is the rule of many. It is based on the idea of happiness by following pleasures (p.48). Democracy comes into play when the majority revolt against the oligarchy because of the ideas of freedom. The problem with it is that people are pursuing their pleasures, not thinking of the state as a whole. There is unity based on pleasure. Before long, everyone is pursuing their own pleasures and there is an undermining of authority

In order for something occur, generally there must be something that predates that occurrence. This rule applies to politics as well, for if a government has a particular characteristic, there must be a reason behind it. One cannot simply make a good government out of thin air, without having reason or an idea on how to achieve the end goal of a good government. I still believe a good government is one that sustains itself, adapts to the times in which it lives, protects itself and its citizenry from threats, and reflects what works for the society it is ruling. There is hesitation to use specifics, and for a good reason. Governments over time share very little in characteristics, but they do share governmental needs. Most needs boil down

Government is an essential part of civilization in modern and historic times. This crucial element of society has been observed in different forms. There are three main systems of governments: autocracy, oligarchy, and democracy. Which system a government belongs to is determined by who hold the sovereignty, meaning who has the supreme power and authority (“Sovereignty”). This leads to there being major differences between autocracies, oligarchies, and democracies.