Az Eszterházy Károly Tanárképző Főiskola Tudományos Közleményei. 1993. [Vol. 1.] Eger Journal of American Studies. (Acta Academiae Paedagogicae Agriensis : Nova series ; Tom. 21)

STUDIES - András Tamóc: The Politics of a Cast-Iron Man. John C. Calhoun and His Views on Government.

The Calhounian Democracy In 1845 John C. Calhoun published his political ars poetica, titled "A Disquisition on Government". The Disquisition was a systematic inquiry into the nature of government and the political process. In the essay the author pondered several questions offering his point of view on the "Republican Dilemma", the quandary of contending interests within a democracy 2

5 Calhoun posits man at the foundation of all political structures. He recognizes that human beings live in the crossfire of direct and indirect effects. The former is felt by man himself, the latter impacts him through the experiences of others. Direct effects evoke individual feelings, indirect influences elicit societal or sympathetic emotions. Since individual feelings are stronger than societal motivations, a community must harness the former and nurture the latter. Man is born as a social being, associates with his own kind and always orients himself toward fellow humans. Since only the framework of society can provide the means for man's ascent from the animal kingdom, the former has to be formed. While man organizes society to ensure the preservation of the race, governments secure societies' existence. Society's function to provide the means and conditions for individual personal development cannot be carried out without law and order. Calhoun recognizes man's dual nature: the social animal and mysanthropic monster. Human beings operate in the confluence of opposing inner drives and governments are necessary to keep hostile instincts in check. But government is made up by men and if individual feelings remain unchecked, personal motives will set public policy eventually leading to tyranny. Constitution, or limits on the power of government, offer protection against the development of a dictatorship. While man is predetermined to have some form of government, a constitution is not a spontaneous outcome of the human condition. Calhoun understands the complex nature of democracy as he writes: "the foundation of a perfect constitution that would Kenneth M. Dolbeare, American Political Thought (New Jersey: Chatham House, 1981), p. 271. 100