Our Mixed Regime: “An Institution That Blends Stability with Liberty” Público

Abstract

How can we characterize American government? Do Americans live in a republic, a democracy,

or something entirely different? The following will engage with the relevant historical, political,

and philosophical record to answer this question. To address this question, scholars have

traditionally consulted both modern philosophy—particularly the writings of Charles de

Montesquieu—and the writings of the individuals who crafted and codified the United States

Constitution. After doing so, such scholars have concluded that the United States is simply a

republic. The following, however, will argue that such a characterization is incomplete and, in

some ways, inaccurate. In order to properly and fully understand American government, we must

look not only towards modern philosophy and the historical incidents leading up to the

Constitution’s ratification; instead, we must also engage with the ancient doctrine of the mixed

regime—promulgated by thinkers like Aristotle and Polybius. Such a scholarly endeavor is

necessary because the following will demonstrate that those who drafted and ratified the

Constitution were motivated by two primary goals: (1) guaranteeing individual liberty and (2)

promoting state longevity and security. The prior of these goals was of particular interest to

modern philosophers and the latter was addressed and central to the doctrines of ancient thinkers.

This paper will demonstrate that a holistic approach to defining American government requires

engaging with and consulting both philosophical schools of thought. And, ultimately, the

following will show that American government can be defined and characterized as a mixed

regime, for it mixes both modern and ancient political and philosophical doctrines, and, in doing

so, accomplishes two distinct yet wholly important state objectives.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: Introduction .................................................................................................................. 1

Chapter 2: The Historical Context .................................................................................................. 7

Chapter 3: Our Mixed Regime ..................................................................................................... 19

Chapter 4: Forming the Constitution and Preserving Republicanism .......................................... 39

Chapter 5: Conclusion .................................................................................................................. 55

About this Honors Thesis

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School	Emory College
Department	Political Science
Degree	B.A.
Submission	Honors Thesis
Language	English
Research Field	History, United States Philosophy Political Science, General
Palabra Clave	Aristotle Polybius Mixed Regime Constitution American Founding Republicanism
Committee Chair / Thesis Advisor	Judd Owen, Emory University
Committee Members	Donald Phillip Verene, Emory University Andra Gillespie, Emory University

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