Republicanism the Rise of Republicanism

¶ … Republicanism

The rise of republicanism as a political ideology is a result of interdependent events in American history -- from the Enlightenment period to the Great Awakening, leading to the American Revolution and drafting of the Constitution. These major events and developments in 18th century America determined the path towards the establishment of the American republic. Republicanism is defined in various contexts, but primarily focus on social order and (American) citizens. Pettit (1999) describes republicanism as a "tradition (that) shares with liberalism the presumption that it is possible to organize a viable state and a viable civil society on a basis that transcends many religious and related divides" (8). Castiglione (2002), meanwhile, identifies it as "the ideology of American Revolution, challenging all the 'assumptions and practices of monarchy', demanding definite moral virtues from the citizens, and in the process establishing a more egalitarian and solidaristic social order" (461).

Unity, social order, equality and freedom are major themes / concepts that embody the political ideology that is republicanism. These core themes, in fact, are also the concepts that predominated the major events that helped create and develop this political ideology. This paper discusses the role that great movements and ideologies that prevailed in American history, from the colonial (pre-revolutionary) period until the framing of the Constitution. These ideologies that highly influenced republicanism's development in American politics and society are the following: (1) the Enlightenment, (2) the Great Awakening, and (3) new economic theories, specifically classical liberal economics.

This paper posits that these ideologies in each major event period in American history helped develop and reinforce themes of unity, social order, freedom and equality, which are the bases not only of the Constitution, but serve also as the foundation of American civil society. The discussions that follow demonstrate how the Enlightenment, Great Awakening, and Classical Liberalism embodied these principles and concepts of republicanism. The Enlightenment put emphasis on Western society's intellectual development, the Great Awakening recognized the institutionalization of Christian religions and society's eventual path towards secularization, and finally, classical liberalism further promoted freedom of individuals, economic agents and markets in American society.

Republicanism traces its roots from the Enlightenment, a period of scientific and intellectual development that is characterized more as an expression of individual freedom than a political ideology. However, its prevalence and eventual dominance in 18th century American societies (then British colonies) transformed this expression of freedom to a political ideology. In fact, during the Enlightenment period, republicanism is characterized as a "gradual move from historical pessimism… the celebration of representative government as an innovation in the art of government, which freed direct democracy from its inconveniences and…increased the demand for more democratic forms of representation" (Philp in Fitzpatrick, 2004:464). Intellectual development is reflected in the creation, development and eventual preference for a specific type of government or representation in the society. Consequently, this period of intellectual development helped promote the freedom and social order, as more forms of representation and governance were developed and implemented in American society. Republicanism's eventual dominance over other governments and political ideologies, however, reflects the society's need to preserve and champion their individual freedoms and at the same time, maintain social order despite people's political differences and beliefs.

The Great Awakening emerged as an ideology, a religious movement that embodied social order and served as a precursor to the American Revolution (declared in the late 18th century). This revivalist religious movement in American history paved the way for an "open and undisguised Unitarianism" among different Christian sects and churches in America. While there was still diversity among churches and sects, the Great Awakening improved the "religious experience" of Americans, allowing them to make better judgments and choices on their religious -- and inevitably, political -- beliefs and views (Tracy, 1842:403). In addition, religion as a major political force during this period inevitably contributed to the growth of republicanism as an ideology. Thus, the Great Awakening reinforced the republican theme of unity and social order.