History And Political Science: The Era of American Enlightenment - Assignment Example

Task History and Political Science I. Introduction a) Summarize Policy Reform Debate Briefly The American Enlightenment (AE) isa period in the 18th century that for the most part connects to the American uprising. This period relates to the European Enlightenment era. It stretched from the middle to late 18th century. This period was affected by the scientific upheaval of the 17th century and the humanist epoch during the Renaissance. The movement utilized scientific analysis and employed it to human character, civilization and faith. Politically, the era was renowned because of its emphasis upon independence, democracy, republicanism, and devout lenience. This resulted in the outlining of the U.S. Declaration of Independence and Constitution. Endeavors to merge science and faith culminated in a rebuff of divination, miracle and exposed faith. This was in predilection for deism. It was also an expansive social, academic, philosophical and cultural movement. This movement spread through several regions of Europe throughout the 1700s. The enlightenment era symbolized a huge departure from the Middle Ages, the epoch from the European account. This millennium was characterized by steadfast religious loyalty and profound brutality. Science was also referred to as heresy and society was extremely hierarchical with no permission with regard to individual freedom. The Scientific insurgency and the Enlightenment gave way to autonomous thought and several academic fields significantly restructured and expanded. New knowledge developed and people could now have academic and philosophical debates, and, books were widely read. The Enlightenment movement criticized the role of faith and heavenly right and this assisted Colonial America to perceive that it was probable to defy the King and celestial right. The movement culminated into taking a systematic approach to the universe and human character. The movement also tested the function of God and assisted individuals to understand that they were significant and that they had the capability to mould their own existence. This brought about inspiration of novel interests in culture, science and literature. Consequently, varied, new higher education institutions were instituted (Duncan, p.9). b) Statement of your position The ongoing debates seem to only impose things to the Americans that they do not necessarily support. Therefore, I do not agree with these debates since they do not uphold the main ideas of the AE. c) My approach to this paper This paper gives a comparative analysis of the ongoing debates in the light of AE. I will do the analysis through an evaluation of the main ideas of the AE and the proposed reforms in the debates. II. Comparative analysis This movement caused changes in the intellectual and social outlooks of the people, welcoming novel ideas. The main ideas of the American Enlightenment are as discussed below. a) Republicanism This affirmed a structure of administration that was chosen by the citizens of the nation. Republican principles entailed public nationalism, honorable citizenship and individualism.  Republicanism diverged from early freethinking with regard to rights which were perceived to be given by God, but were now viewed as outcomes of living in an opinionated society.  In the republican view of independence, citizens exercise autonomy within the milieu of existing social relationships, past associations and conventional societies, not as independent individuals separated from their shared and political affiliations.  This way, freedom for the republican is confidently described by the political civilization instead pre-social person’s innate rights. b) Liberalism A system of administration put in place by the people to serve them. Instead of a far-reaching or revolutionary doctrine, tolerance was embedded in the commercial accord and forbearing Protestantism adopted by deists. Liberals also accepted cogent argumentation and free swap of opinions to the uncritical of pious doctrine or legislative mandates.  This way, open-minded thinking was not authoritarian. Later, freethinking became related with foundations of egalitarianism and a vivid disconnection of the civic and personal domains. This early open-mindedness also accommodated a parliamentarian system of administration that protected freedom of expression and association. The right to appeal the administration, disconnection of the church and government, the convergence of public and personal interests in humanitarian and capitalist endeavors were also included. c) Deism European advocates of the Enlightenment movement viewed tradition, culture and discrimination as a hindrance to attaining true knowledge of general principles of nature. The resolution was deism. This is the comprehension of God’s existence as separate from religious books, divine chance, exposed faith, prediction and marvel. This meant basing devout conviction on the rationale and observation of the corporeal world. Deists accepted God as a rational Supreme Being. This is on who showered people with reason so that they could discover the ethical instructions of the universe. God instigated the universal principles that guide nature. Afterwards, human beings discover God’s will through rational judgment and prudent action. These deists were usually Protestants, sharing contempt for the devout rigidity and unreasonable subordination to tradition characterized by Catholics (Duncan, p.2). d) Individual Liberty It is the personal freedom that is the foundation of the U.S. constitution. This is in quest of life, independence, and contentment. The origin of this notion was drawn from Locke’s standpoint that, an individual must not hurt another in his/her life, health, freedom, or possessions. This meant that human beings were naturally and uniformly self governing. They all possessed certain innate rights. These rights, when incorporated into a society, could not deprive the future generation gratification of life and freedom. This included methodologies of getting and owning wealth, pursuing and attaining happiness and security (Tolley, p.10). e) Toleration Toleration or liberal pluralism was also a key topic in American Enlightenment notion. This was a system of belief in where human beings were in charge of their own fate.  It revealed their conviction that revulsion or contempt for other races and religions interfered with fiscal trade. It also smothered autonomy of thought and expression. It eroded the foundation for alliance among countries and resulted to harassment and war. f) Conservatism Conservatism was more related with tolerance and republicanism. It come about during the final stage of the Enlightenment uprising. This was principally an outburst to the surpluses of the French Rebellion. Some Enlightenment assertions about human character were mostly employed to human traditions.  For example, Enlightenment convictions in widespread declarations of individual rights did more damage than good when they breach the principles and traditions of different countries, regions and areas. These principles from the Enlightenment movement are still deeply embedded in the American nation. Ever since the 1960s Enlightenment's function in the American Revolution has been under discussion by historians. Prior to 1960, the agreement was that freethinking, mainly that of John Locke, was vital and that republicanism had an insignificant function. III. Solutions: the principle of compromise and consensus. a) Birth Control Bill There has been a contentious debate about the Obama government’s bill to necessitate devout institutions to cater for birth control, sterilizations and medicine that facilitates abortion. This domineering mandate compels the free supply of these contraceptives to all American women regardless of their occupation. This contraceptive authorization does not guard women's health but encourages reckless sex and exposure to STDs. This directive forces employers to reimburse insurance organizations for items they are not willing to purchase. It lawfully compels everybody to recompense for a state-sanctioned advantage. The first modification to the American Constitution pledges religious independence. With regard to the AE movement, this also implies that, the administration has no right to require what ethics forbid in any pious institution. These institutions have the right not to support monetarily that which is contrary to their ethical teaching. The church should have the freedom to follow its ethics. This is because; dictating to whichever devout institution to support practices divergent from its conviction is against the spiritual liberty that among the founding pillars of the nation. Even if, the administration made a negotiation for the health coverage company pay for this policy, this is no concession at all; since the coverage company would ultimately pass on the additional costs of the policy to the consumers. b) Freedom of Conscience at Risk: Gay Marriages There has been a lot taking place in the United States, and just recently, it has been referred to as a dictatorship administration. This refers to a structure of government that is federal and authoritarian and demands absolute subservience to it. Though the U.S. might not meet the criteria for a fully-fledged dictatorial state, it is undoubtedly shown an autocratic outlook. For instance, the state of New Jersey, has assumed the right to dictate devout organizations on how to carry out their spiritual activities.  In fact, in a present case, this state declared that a United Methodist Church (UMC) had contravened the state’s Law against discrimination. This is because; it declined to conduct a civil-union service for a lesbian duo. Though it was stated that the organization was essentially a devout institution, the judge asserted that, it was not an issue of religious liberty but some intrusion into its liberty to balance other crucial societal needs. The organization was required to accommodate a service that completely comprised its beliefs. This issue is not about homosexual rights, or same sex companionships, it is about the governing body meddling with the freedom of its civilians to practice their religion unreservedly. In light of the American Enlightenment, the administration does not have the authorized right to reprimand those who decline to change their convictions and breach their places of reverence.  d) U.S Foreign Policy in Egypt Majority of Western nations adhere to the standards of the AE epoch. The two core convictions of this revolution being, firstly, the notion of government self-determination. This is the idea that, all countries have the liberty to establish for themselves the structure of government they want. Secondly, there is the notion of human rights, which is constructed around the fundamental standards of individual rights. This is principally the freedom to partake in politics, and also, to be free in individual life from state infringement. This means that, the state has certain limitations, and, the citizen has the right to practise his/her own life within a structure of law restricted by the standards of liberal egalitarianism. The mainstay supposition within this is that an independent polity will yield a laissez-faire structure. This presumes that the mainstream of the citizens, abandoned to their personal devices, will prefer the Enlightenment's description of human rights. This assumption is simple, but its application is tremendously complex. Consequently, the basis of the Western mission is that individual liberty, stated through fair elections, will maintain constitutional equalities. This, then, brings about a hypothesis of foreign policy that the basic, strategic standards might support existing legitimate democracies, and also, empower people under domineering regimes to make choices on the right administration that mirrors the standards of the Enlightenment movement. The U.S. foreign policy comes under scrutiny in connection to Egypt. There are divergent views with regard to following the Enlightenment standards. There are those who believe that these standards should be maintained in quest of national interest, while others argue that, the pursuit of the standards is very dissimilar from their achievement. However, the meaning of national interest is more often than not blurred. Although, the physical security of the U.S. seems to be at stake, their interest in Egypt is indistinct. Egypt is a big nation that is difficult to influence, and intruding in its activities is not an issue that the United States to be unconcerned. This is the predicament of the U.S. foreign procedure. It has at all times been there given the support of the American populace it causes international disability. One piece of the American administration wants to be fair; the other fraction wants to be harsh. This distinction is the basis of the problem. The result does not lie in jingles or principles. It rests in lucidity on both the moral undertaking of the administration and its capability to comprehend and exercise power efficiently. e) My Proposal and perspective. The principles of the Enlightenment movement continue to influence Europe and many other nations in the Western world. Almost every presumption held in contemporary science has a basis in the Enlightenment. Actually, many continue to be just the way they were instituted. The United States was founded by individuals who repudiated to be submissive to the administration, who rebuffed to relinquish their liberty to think for themselves. No government should ever oblige somebody to accommodate something they regard as morally wrong on their individual conviction or to reimburse for an item they consider immoral. Nonetheless, an individual has an ethical obligation to resist what they deem to be erroneous, even if this means civil defiance. It is not merely the knowledge achieved all through the Enlightenment movement that makes the epoch so fundamental, but also the period’s revolutionary and persistent novel approaches to exploration, interpretation, and problem solving. All these make this era to be crucial. This movement allowed people to be vocal about bringing changes in the globe. Although some were reprimanded for their fresh opinions, it all the same became undeniable that views had the authority to stimulate real change. Works Cited Duncan, Ann & Jones, Steven. Church-State Issues in America Today. Praeger Publishers, 2008. Print. Nelson, Suzan et al. Security. (6th ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press, 2009. Print. Tolley, Kim. The American Girls: A Historical Perspective. Routledge Falmer, 2003. Print. Read More