Journal of Political Inquiry Fall 2014
Elia grew up Milan, Italy and graduated with a bachelor's degree in economics and social sciences from Bocconi University. He then moved to the New York to pursue a master's degree in political economy analysis at New York University. James moved to New York to study for a master’s degree in international relations at New York University. James has a background in finance; having completed his bachelor’s in economics at Bristol University, he then spent two years working for an investment bank in London. His focus is on economic and political development, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa.
Acquiescence and Consent in Democratic Theory By Andrew Tripodo Tenacious men with strong wills, admirable aims, and impressive minds planned and executed the American Constitutional Convention of 1787. These men had neither a legal right nor popular mandate to forge a new government, overturning the existing Articles of Confederation. No authority granted them permission to draft this constitution, and the majority of the population, mostly farmers, hadn’t an inkling that such a convention was even taking place. What these fifty-five men did have were keen insights into human nature---most importantly, that the natural human tendency for selfishness can be channeled to serve the public good. They also possessed strong understandings of the needs and wants of Americans and the means to act on these convictions. They succeeded in an obvious way: the United States exists today as a relatively stable democracy, with institutionalized electoral processes, term limits, and a system of checks and balances on government. The country is more or less free from abusive authority, and its citizens enjoy predictable stability and need not worry about the dangerous hand of arbitrary power. However, just because this strategy worked, does that mean it was also legitimate Questions on the legitimacy of government are as old as the study of government itself, and they are prominent elements of Russell Hardin’s forthcoming book, Why a Constitution, 1 which shares its title with a chapter Hardin contributed to the The Federalist Papers and the New Institutionalism (1989). Hardin begins by addressing the theory, prominent in the writings of John Locke, which claims that a government can only be legitimate if it first maintains order and second, protects the natural rights of its citizens. These principles are the foundation of Liberalism, a theoretical form of government that elevates the rights of individuals over the rights of rulers, and emphasizes the duty of a ruler over the duty of a citizen. Liberal principles underlie nearly all of the political dialogue of the modern age, whether it be between intellectuals or among the general public. Few will argue that the American government fails at either of these duties—the U.S. citizenry is on the whole threatened by neither anarchy nor arbitrary government action that jeopardizes people’s life, liberty, or property rights. This government, then, is legitimate according to the classic liberal criteria. 1 This forthcoming work was provided to the author by Professor Hardin in manuscript form. The following citations apply to the manuscript text as it was presented to the author of this report.
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Elia grew up Milan, Italy and graduated with a bachelor's degree in economics and social sciences from Bocconi<br />
University. He then moved to the New York to pursue a master's degree in political economy analysis at New York<br />
University.<br />
James moved to New York to study for a master’s degree in international relations at New York<br />
University. James has a background in finance; having completed his bachelor’s in economics at Bristol University, he<br />
then spent two years working for an investment bank in London. His focus is on economic and political development,<br />
particularly in sub-Saharan Africa.
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