Question #5d5a1
1 Answer
the ideal is that people should be free from government control. The constitution provides for governmental control. The bill of rights tries to limit the power of the government.
Explanation:
The American ideal was that people should be able to live without government control. The oppressive government of King George of England made the American colonist afraid of government. The almost total freedom of a pioneer farmer living on his own in the forest was part of the American experience and ideal.
The Articles of Confederation were written to provide maximum freedom and a very limited government. The underlying assumption was that people were inheirtently good would act in the best interest of themselves and the community. The reality then as now is that it didn't work.
The Shay's rebellion took place because Bankers were unfairly taking over those ideal small farms, leaving the farmers with nothing out of greed and selfishness. Inter state trade couldn't function because each state taxed the imports states exports to that state's advantage. The self defense of the nation failed because the states refused to pay for either an army or a navy every state wanting the other states to pay for the common defense.
The reality is that people are not basically good and total freedom without any governmental control results in chaos. The Constitution reflects the reality that to provide for the common defense protect people from other people's greed, and have a prosperous economy some governmental control is necessary.
The Bill of rights was written to limit the power of the government created by the constitution. The fear was that the government would become too powerful taking control over people's lives. Basic human freedoms are protected under the Bill of Rights.
The ideal is that people should be free. The reality is that people when totally free do evil. Romans Chapter 7) There has to be a government to protect people from other people. However the government is often a source of evil, itself. Hence the constitution and the Bill of Rights.
