Question

The Framers included many distinguished and educated individuals. Describe three different political philosophies of the delegates.

Answer 1

Answer:

Three major political doctrines were incorporated into government philosophy: natural rights, republicanism, and constitutionalism.

Explanation:

Natural rights theory was individualistic, emphasizing the government's responsibility to protect individual rights. Republicanism has stressed culture, claiming that supporting common welfare is the main characteristic of good governance. Americans, however, have been able to resolve the inherent incompatibility between these two philosophies by claiming that by protecting individual natural rights, the pursuit of common welfare is accomplished.

Answer 2

Answer:

The philosophy of government incorporated three major political doctrines: natural rights, republicanism, and constitutionalism.

Explanation:

The philosophy of natural rights was individualistic, emphasizing the responsibility of government for the protection of individual rights. Republicanism emphasized community, arguing that the main characteristic of good governance is the promotion of the common welfare. However, Americans were able to resolve the apparent incompatibility between these two doctrines by arguing that the promotion of the common welfare is achieved through the protection of individual natural rights.

Republicanism was a political doctrine rooted in antiquity. Americans drew their conclusions about the requirements and advantages of Republican government from their study of the great republics of the past, as well as from the writings of Montesquieu and several English writers.

Finally, in addition to natural rights and republicanism, the Framers were influenced in their deliberations by the idea of constitutionalism. There was no doubt about the superiority of constitutional government and the need for a written constitution as the basis of constitutional government, considering that  "A constitution is a set of customs, traditions, rules and laws that structures the way a government is organized and defines the relationship between the government and its citizens".