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The Influence of State Politics in Expanding Federal Power

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 October 2013

Henry Jones Ford
Henry Jones Ford*
Affiliation:
Princeton University
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Extract

In discussing this subject it will be necessary to refer to democratic principles of government. Unless it is understood distinctly just what is meant the statements made will not convey clear ideas. There are two senses in which the word democratic is used—one having respect primarily to means and the other to ends. From the one point of view, all institutions that pretend to put power in the hands of the people are democratic in their character. An instance of this assumption appears in last year's programme of this association, wherein the direct primary, the initiative, the referendum, and the recall are designated as “the newer institutional forms of democracy.” From the other point of view, the quality of institutions is not decided by the emotions and intentions with which they are created, but is to be discerned from their results, so that the democratic value of any institution is wholly contingent upon its usefulness in subjecting the operations of government to the control of the people. From this point of view, the classification quoted from last year's programme begs the very question that is to be determined.

Type
Papers
Information
Proceedings of the American Political Science Association , Volume 5: Fifth Annual Meeting , December 1909 , pp. 53 - 63
Copyright
Copyright © American Political Science Association 1909

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References

1 Origin and Growth of the English Constitution, Preface to part 1, p. x.

2 P. 399.

3 Development of European Polity, p. 319.

4 Essays, Moral and Political.—Seventh essay.

5 Monarchy as a term of political science is not synonymous with royalty. In the opening paragraph of the third chapter of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, Gibbon gives the proper definition. He says: “The obvious definition of a monarchy seems to be that of a state, in which a single person, by whatever name he may be distinguished, is entrusted with the execution of the laws, the management of the revenue, and the command of the army.” John Adams correctly designated the United States as “a monarchical republic.” Adams', Works, vol. vi, pp. 117, 118 Google Scholar.

6 Development of European Polity, p. 327.