Discussion Of 'The Liberty Of The Press' Alexander Hamilton

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I agree with Hamilton's point of view on "whatever find declarations may be inserted in any constitution respecting it must altogether depend on public opinion, and on the general spirit of the people and of the government." United States of America is a country that strongly relies on the freedom, liberty, equality of its citizens and also public opinions. According to John Locke, "people are born free with natural rights, including the rights to life, liberty, and property. His social contract theory holds that in order to protect people's natural rights, a government is formed to protect those rights. When a government fails to do so, the contract has been broken and the people are free to change or replace that government" (Briggs & Petersen, 32). The government exists with the approval of the governed; this also ensures a country's prosperity.

There are many events occurred in the past that indicate its succeed through strong public opinion supports. These events include the woman's suffrage movement, the Prohibition movement, etc. They are evidences showing strong campaigns that took place in order to reach their goals.

The women's suffrage movement began in 1848 at Seneca Falls, New York. The leader was Elizabeth Cady Stanton, who joined in the 1850s, by Susan B. Anthony, who provided the driving leadership of the movement. In 1890, NAWSA (National American Woman Suffrage Association) was led by Carrie Chapman Catt, who aimed at winning the right to vote for women not through the state-by-state efforts that only give them right to vote in nine states; but now, the movement would concentrate on achieving women's suffrage through a constitutional amendment. This change of strategy gained much more public supports and h...

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...rned them. Supreme Court ruled that separate educational facilities for whites and African Americans are inherently unequal. The case helped to protect the rights of African Americans in the United States, the spirit of Brown sueing the educational system in the U.S. helped to have written evidences indicating the rights gained not only by African Americans but also other racial groups.

A well-respected government should always ask for the opinions of the general public and take them into considerations when making decisions. The government depends on these opinions, and the spirit of the people in order to improve itself, making the society a better place for us to live in. Different movements and Supreme Court cases that occurred in history are ways that people used to express themselves toward some of the unfairness and inequalities that the government neglected.

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