Imp’s Reviews > Public Opinion > Status Update
Imp
is on page 188 of 288
Rotation in office regarded as a great reform
As a result of democracy implemented in a non-ideal environment, Patronage replaced, rather than dissolved, the federalists with a new governing class. Patronage created stability for the federal government due to weakening local identity and bringing together members of the class.
In practice, offices oscillate between henchmen. Permanent professional politicians.
— 4 hours, 22 min ago
As a result of democracy implemented in a non-ideal environment, Patronage replaced, rather than dissolved, the federalists with a new governing class. Patronage created stability for the federal government due to weakening local identity and bringing together members of the class.
In practice, offices oscillate between henchmen. Permanent professional politicians.
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Imp’s Previous Updates
Imp
is on page 191 of 288
Congress a group of blind man in a vast world, mosaic of local impressions not enough for national policy.
The President has access to data through agencies.
Congressmen can't understand a fraction of the bills they're voting for.
— 4 hours, 16 min ago
The President has access to data through agencies.
Congressmen can't understand a fraction of the bills they're voting for.
Imp
is on page 186 of 288
Constitutional convention worked behind closed doors.
The constitution went back to the British Monarchy for a model. Gentry not strong enough to survive the struggle after Washington.
Jefferson's election "great revolution of 1800"
Attached the symbol of democracy to the constitution and created a great conservative fiction.
Patronage: public office regarded as a type of property, expected to remain in-class
— 4 hours, 27 min ago
The constitution went back to the British Monarchy for a model. Gentry not strong enough to survive the struggle after Washington.
Jefferson's election "great revolution of 1800"
Attached the symbol of democracy to the constitution and created a great conservative fiction.
Patronage: public office regarded as a type of property, expected to remain in-class
Imp
is on page 184 of 288
THE ROLE OF FORCE, PATRONAGE AND PRIVILEGE
Maz 1787 - revision of Articles of Confederation in full reaction against premise of 18th century democracy.
The problem was "to restore government as against democracy".
Madison
"Ambition must be made to counteract ambition"
Hamilton favored the gentry for a government, used class privileges to make the Union
— 4 hours, 37 min ago
Maz 1787 - revision of Articles of Confederation in full reaction against premise of 18th century democracy.
The problem was "to restore government as against democracy".
Madison
"Ambition must be made to counteract ambition"
Hamilton favored the gentry for a government, used class privileges to make the Union
Imp
is on page 180 of 288
Enough for the township -> enough for any purpose
Men formed pictures of outside from pictures in their heads, cultivated by stereotypes nurtured by the community.
No way of gathering info -> democratic theory falls back to wisdom and experience of the voter.
"Only real disagreement could be the judgment of the same facts"
Could assume homogeneous code of morals
Takes supply of information for granted
— Jan 19, 2026 03:32AM
Men formed pictures of outside from pictures in their heads, cultivated by stereotypes nurtured by the community.
No way of gathering info -> democratic theory falls back to wisdom and experience of the voter.
"Only real disagreement could be the judgment of the same facts"
Could assume homogeneous code of morals
Takes supply of information for granted
Imp
is on page 178 of 288
Jefferson's democratic ideal: ideal environment + selected class
Became political gospel for all politics, not just special environments.
In Jefferson's age, all public opinion was spontaneous and subjective, this had to be considered.
Security seen as necessary for Democracy
Dangerous crises incompatible with
--> efforts to enclose part of the earth's surface: "democratic wars"
Assumed men have equal competence
— Jan 19, 2026 03:28AM
Became political gospel for all politics, not just special environments.
In Jefferson's age, all public opinion was spontaneous and subjective, this had to be considered.
Security seen as necessary for Democracy
Dangerous crises incompatible with
--> efforts to enclose part of the earth's surface: "democratic wars"
Assumed men have equal competence
Imp
is on page 175 of 288
Democratic philosophers were aware of the limitations of knowledge, found home in remote, unspoiled country villages.
de Tocqueville: doctrine of Popular Sovereignty nurtured in the townships took possession of the State in the American Revolution
Jefferson: These ideal communities must be fenced off from the rest of the world.
— Jan 19, 2026 03:24AM
de Tocqueville: doctrine of Popular Sovereignty nurtured in the townships took possession of the State in the American Revolution
Jefferson: These ideal communities must be fenced off from the rest of the world.
Imp
is on page 174 of 288
THE SELF-CONTAINED COMMUNITY
Ideally just pattern of rights and duties -> everyone obeys then opinions don't matter
All systems assume an established harmony.
Other philosophers took conflict for granted: Machiavelli
Worse name and more disciples than anyone else.
"Men judge more by the eye than by the hand"
People whose vision can't be corrected
— Jan 19, 2026 03:20AM
Ideally just pattern of rights and duties -> everyone obeys then opinions don't matter
All systems assume an established harmony.
Other philosophers took conflict for granted: Machiavelli
Worse name and more disciples than anyone else.
"Men judge more by the eye than by the hand"
People whose vision can't be corrected
Imp
is on page 171 of 288
Many ideologies agree that the art of government is a natural endowment, disagreement is over who is endowed.
Knowledge of the world was taken for granted.
Facts that could be possessed effortlessly are limited to a small environment in which Democracy can function.
Small ruling class -> this works, entire nation less so
Old theories redate most info technology
Range of attention as basis for political science
— Jan 19, 2026 03:11AM
Knowledge of the world was taken for granted.
Facts that could be possessed effortlessly are limited to a small environment in which Democracy can function.
Small ruling class -> this works, entire nation less so
Old theories redate most info technology
Range of attention as basis for political science
Imp
is on page 167 of 288
THE SELF-CENTERED MAN
Not much science on Public Opinion.
Working out of realistic opinion takes a lot of effort, needs great justification for support.
Every political theory has an inscrutable element going unexamined in its heyday. In Democracy this is Popular Sovereignty.
Assertion of human dignity, which analysis seemed to degrade. Democrats had to insist man is legislator by nature, like Aristotle's slave.
— Jan 19, 2026 03:05AM
Not much science on Public Opinion.
Working out of realistic opinion takes a lot of effort, needs great justification for support.
Every political theory has an inscrutable element going unexamined in its heyday. In Democracy this is Popular Sovereignty.
Assertion of human dignity, which analysis seemed to degrade. Democrats had to insist man is legislator by nature, like Aristotle's slave.
Imp
is on page 164 of 288
Trying to meet popular feeling while mending fences & consolidating position by addressing an issue or placating a group.
Creation of consent improved tremendously with Democracy, became more scientific.
Intuition and rules of thumb cannot be relied upon, knowledge needed for management of affairs doesn't come up spontaneously from the human heart.
— Jan 19, 2026 02:59AM
Creation of consent improved tremendously with Democracy, became more scientific.
Intuition and rules of thumb cannot be relied upon, knowledge needed for management of affairs doesn't come up spontaneously from the human heart.
