Lecture 4: Values of the Founding

GOVT 2305: Federal Government

Instructor: Tom Hanna

2026-08-26

Today

  • Values of the Founding
  • Spectrum of limits on government force
  • Discussion: where do you place the hard cases?

Why This Matters

Why This Matters

By the end of today you will place the Founding on a spectrum of answers to “how much should we limit government?” — and state two modern classical-liberal restatements.

Bridge

  • Government = organized coercive force accepted as legitimate
  • Ethics of when force is acceptable
  • → Founding values: how to live together peacefully as dignified equals

Problems of the Founding

We will get to the problems.
Today: how the thinking aims at the core problem.

Two Questions

Two basic questions

  1. What is the proper purpose of government?
  2. How do we limit government to only those purposes?

Purpose → powers

Lists of powers (especially legislative)

Limits → structure

Separation of powers, checks, federalism, rights — next lectures

Ancient Forerunner

Aristotle

True vs. despotic forms

Aristotle’s test

Rule for the common good — or for the rulers’ interest?

Aristotle: True vs Despotic Forms

Classical Liberalism

Classical liberalism

Enlightenment answer — not today’s party labels

Classical liberalism

  • Limit the power of government
  • Expand political participation
  • Allow individuals and voluntary associations to flourish

Modern restatement — Coyne

Live together peacefully in a society of dignified equals

(close paraphrase of Chris Coyne)

Modern restatement — fulfillment

Empowering individuals to pursue their own fulfillment

Fulfillment ≠ cheap thrills

Highest purpose — not momentary pleasure

Legitimate Goals

Legitimate goals of government

Life

Legitimate goals of government

Liberty

Legitimate goals of government

Pursuit of happiness

Legitimate goals of government

Property — product of labor = product of life and liberty

Spectrum of Limits

How much limit?

Most restrained

Henry David Thoreau

“That government is best which governs not at all.”

— Henry David Thoreau, Civil Disobedience (1849)

Pacifism / non-aggression

Violence never legitimate — or only in defense of life, liberty, property

Moderate restraint

“That government is best which governs least.”

— United States Magazine and Democratic Review

Krauthammer

“…the mark of a civilized society [is] to maintain organized violence at the lowest possible level…”

— Charles Krauthammer, Things That Matter (2013)

Constitutional limits

Force only when and how a constitution allows

Social contract (visual)

The bargain

The people agree to… The government agrees to…
Give up some freedom Protect fundamental rights
Submit to some coercion Life · Liberty · Property

Social contract — names

John Locke

Hobbes · Locke · Rousseau — different bargains

Hard Cases

Militant democracy

Suppress political opponents labeled as threats to democracy

Realpolitik / pragmatic statecraft

Results and national interest over ideal limits

Discussion

Where would you place militant democracy and realpolitik on the spectrum — closer to freedom, or closer to theocracy / totalitarianism?

Theocracy

Power justified by divine mandate

Totalitarianism

“All within the state, nothing against the state, nothing outside the state.”

— Benito Mussolini

Totalitarianism

“Ideas are more powerful than guns. We would not let our enemies have guns, why should we let them have ideas.”

— Joseph Stalin

Teaser

Is the contract valid?

If you never signed it, are you bound by its terms?

Later

We return to that question — and to problems of the Founding — in a later lecture.

Discussion Preview

For next time (Aug 31): Origins of Government

Come ready to discuss:

  • Why have government at all if force is so dangerous?
  • Pure theory vs. realistic theory of origins

Next

Next class (August 31): Origins of Government

Come ready to connect values → why government arises — and what that implies for limits.

Reminders

  • Module 0 substantially complete by August 30 (avoid drop)
  • Module 1 Study Guide and Connect due September 18

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