united states government

united states government

The Evolution of the United States Government: A Comprehensive Analysis

1. Introduction to the United States Government

When it was time to frame the new Federal Constitution, some delegates, mainly from the large population states, were interested in an even stronger majoritarian doctrine. If the national executive had a council of state, for example, then federal power would tend to be guided by the President and people together, roughly analogous to our modern parliamentary system. Yet the record shows agreement with precisely the position which the states private men in Virginia and Massachusetts intended that delegates should want. Instead of a congressional council, the delegates opted for durable confrontations, between disciplined federal interests on the one hand and consensual state-principal interests on the other.

The structure of the United States government is undeniably complex, but it is felt that if any one feature is to be the chief concern of the present discussion, the distinct roles of the eighteenth-century framers will be most useful. In shaping our political traditions and federal government, not only do we have the seeds of today’s disputes, but also the orderly and flexible procedures by which these disputes can shape contemporary policy. For the United States did not have any institution such as the British Parliament to claim sovereignty handed down from the divine right of kings. Therefore, the Revolution was carried out in the name of the colonial state governments, who in turn asked the people for regular written constitutions.

2. Historical Development of the U.S. Government

Ironically, the newly developed government marked the beginning of the American association of economics with politics. The principal interests that shaped its development were those of the upper class merchants and property owners. They were the principal beneficiaries of this government and were able to control it and realize their own economic goals. Not surprisingly, as late as 1860, a preponderance of congressmen, senators, and the president had been selected from or at least identified with the South, which clung tenaciously to its economic and political interests. It was also in the political arena that major social and economic issues were debated and resolved. Furthermore, the ultimate significance of the government lay in the opportunities it provided people to express their economic interests.

Notwithstanding the experiences of the Regulator movement, the Articles of Confederation, Shays’ Rebellion, and the widespread concern that democracy could lead to a government that was essentially too democratic, a new American national government was created on June 21, 1788. This occurred when the ninth state, New Hampshire, ratified the U.S. Constitution. Created on a basis of federalism, the new government was, in general terms, much less democratic than the New England town meeting. Indeed, many of the founding fathers had little concept of or faith in government by the people. In launching the new Constitution, Governor Morris of Pennsylvania felt that the bigger people had in government, the further it was from the rule of the mob, and the better it would be. As these sentiments suggest, in both social and economic terms, the founding fathers were very much an upper class who saw themselves as having a special concern for the public interest.

3. Key Components and Branches of the U.S. Government

The Evolution of the United States Government: A Comprehensive Analysis It all began with the Declaration of Independence. The United States was no longer under British colonial rule. Four men were appointed to draft the documents that would declare the states free from the British Crown, and in doing so, provide a stepping stone for the formation of a new and separate country. With the guidance of esteemed men such as Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, this newly formed country, comprised of thirteen states, created and adopted the Articles of Confederation, the nation’s first official constitution. It was the framework for which the new America was to be established and grow. A very loose composition of authority and responsibilities was invested in Congress. Meeting only yearly, it was quickly determined the articles were nowhere near sufficient to address the needs of this new government. With heated debate and courteous discussions, 55 delegates met in Philadelphia to rectify the situation. The result was the U.S. Constitution providing the foundational structures of the U.S. government. This document officially established the system of the United States government and provides the cornerstone for the modern national government.

Obviously, the primary component of the American government is the people. However, the government also has key branches, which are the executive branch, the legislative branch, and the judicial branch. There are also key characteristics that separate the United States government significantly from other governments throughout the world. These specifics include a democracy, a constitutional government, and a republic. Each of these will be addressed separately in conjunction with factual information.

4. The Role of the U.S. Government in Domestic Affairs

It has to maintain peace and good order to maintain freedom and liberty of the people. It has to carry the authority of establishing and enforcing laws to ensure that conduct is in the best interest of the common good. It must sustain these laws and rights, and must maintain the delegated right to decide on a change in the existing practices which require correction and reform, and on the authority to direct in the best performing policy. It has to provide in clear and unmistakable terms for the restraint of conduct or behavior, by the enactment and modification of laws, the maintenance of justice, and the enforcement of justice. The cardinal qualifications which enable the performance of such difficult and necessary duties of the government’s regulation are straightforward and apparent.

The duties and responsibilities of the U.S. government can be divided into two classes: those that it performs in relation to other governments, foreign powers, and other people and states; and those that it has to perform in relation to the individuals, that is to say, its domestic affairs. In both its international and its domestic relations, the government has to perform its manifold duties for and in the actual presence of numerous duties that have important effects. It has to represent the value of their role and to operate mainly to the support by the people, it has succeeded in performing these duties. It represents the sovereignty and other inherent characteristics of the people. In relation to the people, its most important operations are probably in the performance of its duties and responsibilities of domestic affairs.

5. The U.S. Government’s Role in International Relations

In order to deal effectively with foreign powers, the U.S. government of the twenty-first century has at its disposal two tools for conducting foreign policy: the Department of State and the provision of passage for international treaties through the United States Senate. The State Department is responsible for the appointment of the various American ambassadors in foreign nations, and for the operation of our embassies. The vast majority of international treaties (the ones that involve arms control, defense agreements, etc.) almost always require Senate ratification in order to become effective in the United States. The United States Senate, then, can be viewed as the conductor of America’s international symphony.

The United States does not exist in a vacuum. As a mature nation, the United States today has strong ties to virtually every corner of the world. These ties have existed, to some extent, since the first European nations established permanent colonies. The period following the Revolutionary War saw the United States first begin to negotiate its own international agreements, and the process has continued ever since. In 1945, the United States (along with the victorious allies) played an important role in reorganizing the world following the end of World War II. Together, the United States, the Soviet Union, and Great Britain became the first three nations to obtain veto power in the United Nations. With its powerful military and relatively strong economy, the United States today is one of a handful of nations that retain a significant amount of influence in world affairs. But the reach of U.S. influence would not be possible without a strong, centralized government. Today, the U.S. has representatives as diplomats in nations throughout the world. The confused and inefficient American diplomatic system is a result of constant compromise that has come to define the Legislative branch of U.S. government.