Eleanor Finch
The U.S. Constitution has been interpreted as a document that protects capitalism. The Constitution was created by an elite group to protect their financial and speculative interests, quell rebellion, and limit democratic participation by the lower and middle classes. This interpretation of the Constitution as a tool to protect capitalism is supported by the creation of a common market and trade policies that supported the continued existence of the country and protected the rising capitalist elite, including capitalist slave owners. The Constitution also secured protection for property rights and investor freedoms, further solidifying its role in protecting capitalism.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Protects against "excess democracy" | Yes |
| Protects the interests of the elite | Yes |
| Protects property rights and investor freedoms | Yes |
| Protects capitalist slave owners | Yes |
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What You'll Learn
The Constitution as a class project
The Constitution can be seen as a tool to solidify and protect capitalism, particularly the interests of the rising capitalist elite, including capitalist slave owners. It created a common market and trade policies that supported the continued existence of the country and the interests of this elite.
The question of the Constitution and capitalism has been addressed by scholars such as Charles Beard, who argued that the Constitution was a project built by the elite for the elite. This perspective highlights the class aspects of the Constitution-building process and the Convention debates, which were influenced by the desire to protect financial and speculative interests.
As a class project, the Constitution can be analysed through the lens of class and capitalism. By situating the Constitution within the context of the rise of capitalism and the larger state-building process, we can understand how it contributed to the development of U.S. capitalism and the protection of elite power.
Overall, the Constitution as a class project is a complex and nuanced topic that involves examining the historical context, the intentions of the framers, and the impact of the Constitution on class dynamics and capitalism in the United States.
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The role of the Constitutional Convention of 1787
The Constitutional Convention of 1787 was an elitist project to protect against 'excess democracy' from below. It was a class project, built by the elite for the elite, to protect their financial and speculative interests. The Convention was the result of a fear of 'excess democracy' by an elite group who built a new state partly to protect elite power, quell rebellion, and limit too much democratic participation in governance by the lower and middle classes. The interests of the elite would be presented as the universal interests of all social classes, under which consent for class domination could be forged, backed by military force and violence, if necessary. The Convention also created a common market and trade policies that would support the basic continued independent existence of the country, along with protecting the rising capitalist elite. Capitalist slave owners would also be protected by the new government.
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The relationship between the Constitution and capitalism
The Constitution was also designed to protect property rights and investor freedoms, which are key tenets of capitalism. It created a common market and trade policies that supported the continued existence of the country and protected the rising capitalist elite, including capitalist slave owners.
The creation of a standing army allowed the government to conquer land from indigenous peoples and punish those who did not conform to the capitalist ideology of land as an exchange value. This further solidified the power of the elite and the capitalist system.
While the Constitution was created to protect the interests of the elite and promote capitalism, it is important to note that it was also a product of its time and place. The transition to capitalism was a complex process, and the Constitution was just one piece of that puzzle. It is essential to consider the larger state-building process and the context of the development of US capitalism to fully understand the relationship between the two.
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The Constitution's protection of property rights
The Constitution was created to protect the interests of the elite, specifically their financial and speculative interests. It has been argued that the Constitution was created to protect against 'excess democracy' and to quell rebellion.
The Constitution also created a common market and trade policies that would support the country's continued existence, as well as protecting the rising capitalist elite. Capitalist slave owners were also protected by the new government.
A central goal of new constitutionalism is to secure protection for property rights and investor freedoms on a world scale.
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The Constitution's protection of investor freedoms
The Constitution was created to protect the interests of the elite, and to prevent 'excess democracy'. The creation of a common market and trade policies supported the existence of the country, while also protecting the rising capitalist elite. Capitalist slave owners were also protected by the new government. The Constitution also allowed the government to conquer land from indigenous peoples, and to punish Northern rural squatters who viewed land as a use value rather than an exchange value.
The Constitution, therefore, protects investor freedoms by ensuring that the interests of the elite are protected, and that the elite maintain their power. This includes the protection of property rights, which is a central goal of new constitutionalism.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, the US Constitution was created by an elite group to protect their financial and speculative interests.
The US Constitution created a common market and trade policies that would support the country's existence and protect the rising capitalist elite.
The US Constitution is an example of new constitutionalism, which aims to secure protection for property rights and investor freedoms on a world scale.
