Jonah Patel
Popular sovereignty is a principle within the US Constitution. It states that power comes from the people, and the government can only rule with the consent of the people. The Declaration of Independence of 1776 recognises a Creator God, the equality of all men, and a just government instituted by the people's consent. In 1787, Alexander Hamilton affirmed popular sovereignty through consent as the basis and legitimacy of the American government.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Popular sovereignty | Power comes from the people |
| The government can only rule with the consent of the people | |
| The people have the power to abolish and overthrow the government if it is not protecting them | |
| The people rule through voting |
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What You'll Learn
- Popular sovereignty is a founding principle of the United States of America
- The Declaration of Independence of 1776 asserts that legitimate governments are those deriving their power from the consent of the governed
- Popular sovereignty states that power comes from the people, and the government can only rule with the consent of the people
- If the government is not protecting the people, the people have the power to abolish and overthrow the government
- Popular sovereignty is a world-class standard of legitimacy for governments in the 21st century
Popular sovereignty is a founding principle of the United States of America
The philosophical basis for popular sovereignty in the US can be traced back to ancient models of democracy in Greece and Rome, as well as the Bible and a Bible-oriented worldview. In the Bible, the Creator God is said to give all mankind, as equal and free, dominion over the earth and, therefore, earthly political power. This is reflected in the US Declaration of Independence, which recognises a Creator God, the equality of all men, and a just government instituted by the people's consent.
The US Constitution's Preamble begins with "We the people of the United States", further emphasising the principle of popular sovereignty. The Founders of the United States strongly adhered to this principle and shaped their new nation and its civil government and laws according to the idea that political power resides with the people.
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The Declaration of Independence of 1776 asserts that legitimate governments are those deriving their power from the consent of the governed
Popular sovereignty, or the people's rule, was a founding principle of the United States of America. The Declaration of Independence of 1776 asserts that legitimate governments are those 'deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed'. This principle was later affirmed by Alexander Hamilton in his 1787 Federalist Paper 22, in which he wrote that the 'fabric of the American empire ought to rest on the solid basis of the consent of the people'.
The idea of popular sovereignty was shaped by ancient models of democracy in Greece and Rome, as well as by the Bible and a Bible-oriented worldview. In the Bible, the Creator God gives all mankind, as equal and free, dominion over the earth and, therefore, earthly political power.
The Founders of the United States expressed and applied the philosophical principle of popular sovereignty in the key founding documents of the United States—the Declaration and Constitution. The U.S. Declaration of Independence of 1776 recognises a Creator God, the equality of all men, and a just government instituted by the people’s consent. It reads, 'We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness'.
The Constitution’s Preamble begins, 'We the people of the United States…do ordain and establish this Constitution'. This demonstrates that the Founders strongly adhered to popular sovereignty and shaped their new nation and its civil government and laws according to this principle.
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Popular sovereignty states that power comes from the people, and the government can only rule with the consent of the people
Popular sovereignty is a principle within the Constitution of the United States of America. It states that power comes from the people, and the government can only rule with the consent of the people. This principle was asserted as a founding principle of the United States of America in the Declaration of Independence of 1776, which recognises a Creator God, the equality of all men, and a just government instituted by the people's consent. The Declaration of Independence asserts that legitimate governments are those 'deriving their just Powers from the Consent of the Governed'. The Constitution's Preamble begins with 'We the people of the United States', further emphasising the role of popular sovereignty in the founding of the nation.
Founder Alexander Hamilton affirmed popular sovereignty through consent as the basis and legitimacy of the American government in his 1787 Federalist Paper 22. He wrote, 'The fabric of the American empire ought to rest on the solid basis of THE CONSENT OF THE PEOPLE. The streams of national power ought to flow immediately from that pure, original fountain of all legitimate authority.' The Founders strongly adhered to popular sovereignty and shaped their new nation and its civil government and laws according to this principle.
Popular sovereignty is a form of government where the people rule, meaning that they have the power through voting. It is important that a kind of government is in place that allows people to have power within the government. The American example has become a world-class standard of legitimacy for governments in the 21st century. No country can realistically claim to be a democracy unless it proclaims constitutionally and implements functionally the principle of popular sovereignty.
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If the government is not protecting the people, the people have the power to abolish and overthrow the government
Popular sovereignty, or the people's rule, was a founding principle of the United States of America. The Declaration of Independence of 1776 asserts that legitimate governments are those that derive their power from the consent of the governed. The U.S. Constitution's Preamble begins with "We the people of the United States", and Alexander Hamilton affirmed popular sovereignty through consent as the basis and legitimacy of the American government.
Popular sovereignty is the idea that political power resides with the whole people of a community or state, not with any particular person, group, or ancestral line. This idea was shaped by ancient models of democracy in Greece and Rome, as well as by the Bible and a Bible-oriented worldview. In the Bible, the Creator God gives all mankind, as equal and free, dominion over the earth and, therefore, earthly political power.
The philosophical principle of popular sovereignty was expressed and applied in the key founding documents of the United States—the Declaration and Constitution. The U.S. Declaration of Independence of 1776 recognises a Creator God, the equality of all men, and a just government instituted by the people’s consent. It reads, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness".
Therefore, if the government is not protecting the people, the people have the power to abolish and overthrow the government. This is because the people are the source of political power, and the government derives its legitimacy from the consent of the governed. If the government is not fulfilling its duties to protect the people, the people have the right to withdraw their consent and establish a new government that better serves their interests.
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Popular sovereignty is a world-class standard of legitimacy for governments in the 21st century
The modern, Western conception of popular sovereignty was shaped by the ancient models of democracy in Greece and Rome, as well as by the Bible and a Bible-oriented worldview. In the Bible, the Creator God gives all mankind, as equal and free, dominion over the earth and, therefore, earthly political power. This philosophical basis for popular sovereignty was expressed and applied in the key founding documents of the United States—the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.
Popular sovereignty is a fundamental principle of democracy, recognising the equality of all men and the role of government in protecting the unalienable rights of its citizens, including life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. By asserting popular sovereignty as a founding principle, the United States established a government that was accountable to its citizens and derived its legitimacy from the consent of the governed. This set a precedent for other nations to follow in establishing democratic governments that are responsive to the will of the people.
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Frequently asked questions
Popular sovereignty is the idea that political power resides with the whole people of a community or state, not with any particular person, group, or ancestral line.
Yes, the Constitution’s Preamble begins, “We the people of the United States…do ordain and establish this Constitution”. This affirms popular sovereignty through consent as the basis and legitimacy of the American government.
The U.S. Declaration of Independence of 1776 recognises a Creator God, the equality of all men, and a just government instituted by the people’s consent. It also asserts that legitimate governments are those deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.
