John Adams (30 ottob 1735 anni – 4 lugl 1826 anni)

Descrizione:

- Livro "Thoughts on Government"
- Advocated for Checks and Balances
- Criticezed Thomas Paine for he believed that Paine's view was too democratical, without any restraint or even an attempt at any equilibrium or counter poise.

John Adams (Braintree, 30 de outubro de 1735 – Quincy, 4 de julho de 1826)[nota 1] Foi o segundo presidente dos Estados Unidos (1797–1801) e,[1] anteriormente, primeiro vice-presidente dos Estados Unidos. Pai da Nação estadunidense,[2] Adams foi estadista, diplomata e um advogado importante no período da independência americana da Grã-Bretanha. De boa educação, Adams era um teórico político do Iluminismo que divulgou o republicanismo, tal como o conceito de um governo central, e escreveu várias obras sobre as suas ideias, tanto em trabalhos publicados como em cartas para a sua esposa e conselheira Abigail Adams, e, também, a outros Pais da Nação.

Adams começou a destacar-se nos primeiros tempos da Revolução Americana. Advogado e figura pública em Boston, como delegado de Massachusetts no Congresso Continental, teve um papel importante em convencer o Congresso a declarar a independência. Ajudou Thomas Jefferson a elaborar a Declaração da Independência em 1776, e foi um dos seus principais defensores junto do Congresso.[3] Mais tarde, como diplomata na Europa, ajudou a negociar o provável tratado de paz com a Grã-Bretanha, e foi responsável por obter importantes empréstimos governamentais dos banqueiros de Amesterdão. Teórico político e historiador, Adams redigiu grande parte da Constituição de Massachusetts em 1780, a qual, juntamente com o seu Thoughts on Government, influenciou o pensamento político americano. Um dos seus grandes papeis foi como analista de caracteres: em 1775, nomeou George Washington para comandante-em-chefe; 25 anos mais tarde, designou John Marshall para Chefe de Justiça dos Estados Unidos.

Adams foi o pai de John Quincy Adams, o sexto Presidente dos Estados Unidos. As suas conquistas foram reconhecidas nos tempos modernos, apesar dos seus contributos não tivessem sido celebrados como os dos outros Pais da Nação. Adams foi o primeiro presidente a residir na mansão de ficaria conhecida como Casa Branca.[4]

THOUGHTS ON GOVERNMENT
During the First Continental Congress, Adams was sometimes solicited for his views on government. While recognizing its importance, Adams had privately criticized Thomas Paine's 1776 pamphlet Common Sense, which attacked all forms of monarchy, even constitutional monarchy of the sort advocated by John Locke. It supported a unicameral legislature and a weak executive elected by the legislature. According to Adams, the author had "a better hand at pulling down than building."[287] He believed that the views expressed in the pamphlet were "so democratical, without any restraint or even an attempt at any equilibrium or counter poise, that it must produce confusion and every evil work."[288] What Paine advocated was a radical democracy with the views of the majority neither checked nor counterbalanced. This was incompatible with the system of checks and balances that conservatives like Adams would implement.[289] Some delegates urged Adams to commit his views to paper. He did so in separate letters to these colleagues. So impressed was Richard Henry Lee that, with Adams' consent, he had the most comprehensive letter printed. Published anonymously in April 1776, it was titled Thoughts on Government and styled as "a Letter from a Gentleman to his Friend." Many historians agree that none of Adams' other compositions rivaled the enduring influence of this pamphlet.[68]

Adams advised that the form of government should be chosen to attain the desired ends – the happiness and virtue of the greatest number of people. He wrote that, "There is no good government but what is republican. That the only valuable part of the British constitution is so because the very definition of a republic is an empire of laws, and not of men." The treatise defended bicameralism, for "a single assembly is liable to all the vices, follies and frailties of an individual."[290] Adams suggested that there should be a separation of powers between the executive, the judicial and the legislative branches, and further recommended that if a continental government were to be formed then it "should sacredly be confined" to certain enumerated powers. Thoughts on Government was referenced in every state-constitution writing hall. Adams used the letter to attack opponents of independence. He claimed that John Dickinson's fear of republicanism was responsible for his refusal to support independence, and wrote that opposition from Southern planters was rooted in fear that their aristocratic slaveholding status would be endangered by it.[68]

Aggiunto al nastro di tempo:

Data:

Immagini: