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Mid-Size paper: Eight pages long (1,500/1,700 words in double-space format; 35 p
Mid-Size paper: Eight pages long (1,500/1,700 words in double-space format; 35 points). The length of this assignment changed. One slightly longer paper than two papers. Due: Wednesday, 13 March 2023: 11.59pm.
Prompt: Write a comparative paper discussing the two different strategies adopted by the Americans and the French (after their respective democratic revolutions) while putting into practice the doctrine/principle of “popular sovereignty” through the mechanism of “representation.” The task of “putting into practice” involves not only giving institutional form and expression to that principle, but also cultivating a political culture that enables common people to recognize themselves collectively as “sovereign people”. Such a political culture consists of and sustained by, among other things, a set of public rituals and habits, and certain ways of thinking and acting that enables people to simultaneously pursue “common good” as well as their individual and group interests. On the basis of your comparative analysis of the American and French strategies, both institutional and cultural, explain why the former made a relatively smooth transition to the democratic mode of governance while the latter got entangled in a series of irresolvable dilemmas and contradictions.
In writing this paper, draw your materials from the following readings:
Wood, “The American Revolution and Democracy”
Madison, “The Federalist Papers, No. 10”
Fontana, “The French Revolution and Democracy”
Rosanvallon, “Revolutionary Democracy”
The following schematic information might be useful in completing the final paper:
Democratic rituals, habits, and ways of thinking
American
Rituals:
Rituals of actual representation (actual as opposed to virtual): voting and elections.
Rituals of egalitarianism: speech and dress
Rituals of national unity: (This is not in your assigned readings: Here are some examples: Reading of Declaration of Independence in town squares during the war of independence; the July 4th celebrations, playing of national anthem at sporting events today). You need to explain how American democratic rituals, while celebrating unity, didn’t not try to deny or erase social differences.
Habits and attitudes:
Reject hierarchy and the politics of deference.
Mistrust of elites and so-called superiors.
Skeptical of those (especially the elites) who claim to be working for the public good at the expense of their own private interests.
Ways of thinking:
It is Ok to advocate and promote one’s own interests in legislation, so long as one is open and forthright about it.
Recognizing social differences and accepting pluralism.
A particular view of human nature and human potential (see, The Federalist 10).
French
Rituals:
Rituals of incarnating the people as a collective sovereign agent (see, Rosanvallon on “people as event”): Festivals, Revolutionary calendar, and Terror.
Crowd politics.
Habits and attitudes:
Enlightenment habits and attitudes: skepticism about hierarchy and received tradition; engaging in social criticism.
Emphasis on political participation: unity and solidarity through participation
Utopian mindset: Disdain towards reality of social differences and distinctions.
Ways of Thinking:
It is possible and desirable to overcome individual and factional interests for the sake of general interest and common good.
A particular view of human nature and human potential.
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