Liberalism And Republicanism Essay

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Recommended: Compare and Contrast Liberalism and Conservatism

In this essay, I posit that despite the harsh clashes between liberalism and republicanism, both elements play important roles in American politics, and their marriage has given birth to a unique America. I will begin by giving brief explanations about liberalism and republicanism, before showing how their dynamic interaction has given rise to American exceptionalism. It is also important to note that the slight emphasis on liberalism more than republicanism that is also evident in the US Constitution.

While Locke’s famous line “in the beginning all the world was America” might appear rather pompous, he clearly explains the causes for the liberal tradition in America. Given the fact that land was bountiful and scarcity was not a problem for …show more content…

After the government-destroying Revolution that the people believed to be suppressing their liberty, there was a realization that government was still irrefutably necessary for liberty. This resulted in some resurrection of what was initially fought against, in which we see glimpses of republican ideas from the classical world in American political culture, for the founders believed that republican virtue and liberal individualism were compatible and interdependent elements that would create a distinctive America (Vetterli and Bryner, …show more content…

After all, there is much overlap between liberal and republican ideas when we consider their origins. During the Civil War, Lincoln tried to win over the liberal democrats who opposed him, by using their language and values against them by calling himself a Democrat. As the slavery problem was abolished, the republican political party gradually became more liberal as it had to protect the interests of their big business owners, and eventually seeing a switch in orientation of the Federalists and Anti-Federalists. This makes it all the more difficult to truly distinguish between liberal and republican ideas, which have both played irreplaceable roles within American

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