Instructor: Joshua B. Stein
Office: CAS 117
Phone: (254) 3223
E-Mail: jstein@rwu.edu
Hours: Monday, Wednesday, Friday 2:00-3:00
Tuesday and Thursday 11:00-12:30
(In fact, I am in the office many more hours a week than indicated above. If you
need to see me but are not available during the posted hours, make an
appointment. I also should let you know that things take me away from the
office even when I’m scheduled to be there. So, better call before you come to
make sure I am actually in, and if I am that I can see you (that I’m not busy with
another student, etc.)
Texts:
The Democratic Idea, (edited by Swanson, et al.)
Summary:
In this course we will be rapidly tracing the development of the history of the idea of democracy from antiquity to the present, emphasizing as we go along how things have led up to the U.S. Constitution, and what has flowed from the efforts of the founding fathers of the summer of 1787 when the document was first debated and written. In the process we will not ignore other views on democracy, from its friends and foes. We will analyze democracy as well. Is it a good idea, or a bad one? Is America a democracy? Should it be? Should it be more so or less? Is democracy the worst form of government except for all the others?
We begin with the ancient world, with readings from Euripides, Thucydides, and Aristotle, the first an exponent of democracy, the others…well, we shall see. In the course of this look at Greek political views I will give lectures on the Athenian and Spartan constitutions, pointing out why the founders favored (are you ready for this?) Sparta’s form of government over that of Athens. We move on to a look at the Roman Republic, the form the founders thought the most ideal. We shall see how the US Constitution is based on the model of the Roman Republic, with modifications, of course. Polybius and Cicero are our principal sources here; I will give some supplementary lectures on the fall of the Republic. At the end of this unit you will either take an hour exam or submit a five-page double spaced paper on a topic mutually agreed to. Your choice.
Our second unit will be on the scientific revolution and the Enlightenment as sources of rational political thought. We will discuss how an evolving understanding of the cosmos and the laws of physics helped to shape modern political thought. We will also look at the English political scene of the 17th century as precursor to what occurred a hundred years later in America. At the end of this unit you will either take an hour exam or submit a five-page double spaced paper on a topic mutually agreed to. Your choice.
Our third unit will be on America in its formative period, from the Revolution to the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation and the writing of the Constitution. For this unit, please read Catherine Drinker Bowen’s Miracle at Philadelphia and be prepared to discuss it. At the end of this unit you will either take an hour exam or submit a five-page double spaced paper on a topic mutually agreed to. Your choice.
Finally we get to the post-Constitution world, in America and in Europe. We will look at the French Revolution and try to figure out why things went so wrong there; we will look at the writings of Karl Marx who rejected the entire premise which was the underpinning of the constitutional ideal. We will look at Mussolini and his attacks on democracy from the far right. We will look at how the Constitution has made up for its failures (through amendment) and at the way women and African-Americans have fared under its terms. If there is time, we will conclude with a look at the debacle which was the 2000 presidential election. At the end of this unit you will either take an hour exam or submit a five-page double spaced paper on a topic mutually agreed to. Your choice.
I look forward to challenging your intellects and to have you challenge mine. I will, from time to time adopt unpopular stances, whether I believe them or not, in order to stimulate discussion/debate. Do not expect that long cherished ideas you have had since infancy will go unchallenged by me or by other members of the class. Things may get rough and ready in this class, but there are rules which will be our guiding principles:
“civility over all,” “facts count more than opinions,” “we are all (I include myself) deserving of respect,” “we are to have fun with this.”
Grading: All along I’ve said you had a choice between a paper and an exam. Not quite true. You must write at least one paper and take at least one exam. All will count as one-quarter of your grade. In cases where you fall between grades, class attitudes and participation will be the deciding factor. If you are in class, eager to demonstrate your knowledge or thirst for knowledge; if you ask intelligent questions and answer my questions intelligently, you will get the advantage. The more elements of the above that are lacking, the less you will be helped in your grade.
Goals: By semester’s end students should:
Have an appreciation of what the Constitution’s strengths, weaknesses and
sources are
Have an understanding of the historical elements that went into the making of
the Constitution
Be able to express themselves in writing and verbally better than you did when
first arrived
Be a more thoughtful citizen of the world in the first half of the twenty-first
century.
How to get an “A” in this course:
1- Form a study group; meet at least weekly with this group. Go over your notes with your colleagues to make sure they are correct.
2- Before each class read the assigned material, but don’t just read it, read, mark, learn and inwardly digest it so that you know before I get there where the class is going.
3- Each day (or at least five days a week) read your class notes, from the beginning. If you do you will be memorizing without the effort of memorizing; you will see patterns emerge from one class to another across the weeks.
4- Live (mentally) the era we are discussing. Ask yourself, how would an ancient Spartan or a 17th century Englishman or a founding father would cope with the problems of the world (yours and society’s) today.
Good luck to you all.
What follows is an ANTICIPATED schedule for the semester. Do not be surprised when things change.
Sept 5 Introduction to the Course
7 Greeks on democracy: Read and be prepared to discuss Euripides
10 Read and be prepared to discuss Pericles’ Funeral Oration.
12 Read and be prepared to discuss Melian Dialogue
14 Read and be prepared to discuss Aristotle’ “Politics”
17-No class (Rosh Hashanah)
19 Lecture on Spartan government
21 Lecture on Athenian government
24 Roman government: Read and be prepared to discuss Polybius
26 Read and be prepared to discuss Cicero’s “Laws”
28 Lecture on the fall of the Roman Republic
Oct 1 EXAM OR PAPER 1
3 Lecture on England in the 17th century
5 Lecture on England in the 17th
century
8 (No school Columbus Day)
9 Classes meet as if it
were a Monday. Read and be prepared
to discuss Hobbes’
“Leviatthan”
10 Read and be prepared to discuss Locke’s “Treatise on Government” and
his
“Letter on Toleration”
12 Read and be prepared to discuss Milton’s “Areopagitica”
15 Lecture on the scientific revolution
17 Lecture on the scientific revolution
19 Discussion of the Enlightenment.
Read and be prepared to discuss Rousseau
22 Discussion of the Enlightenment
24 EXAM OR PAPER 2
26 Origins of the American Revolution
29 Read and be prepared to discuss The Declaration of Independence
31 The Articles of Confederation
Nov 2
The Constitution. Read and be prepared
to discuss Catherine Drinker Bowen
5 The Constitution
7 The Constitution
9 The Ratification
debate. Read and be prepared to discuss
appropriate
“Federalist papers”
12 The view from Europe. Read
and be prepared to discuss selection from
Democracy in America.
14 EXAM OR PAPER 3
16 Origins of the French revolution. Read and be prepared to discuss
Declaration
of Rights of Man and Citizen
19 The French Revolution
21 (No school, Thanksgiving break)
23 (No school, Thanksgiving break)
26 Karl Marx. Read and be
prepared to discuss “Communist Manifesto”
28 Soviet Russia
30 Mussolini and Fascism. Read and be prepared to discuss Mussolini on
Fascism
Dec 3
Women’s suffrage. Read and be prepared to discuss Grimke Sisters
5 Women’s suffrage
7 Slavery in America
10 African-Americans and the Constitution. Read and be prepared to
discuss
Plessy v. Ferguson and Brown v. Topeka
12 African-Americans and the Constitution
14 TBA