Essays

American History: Book Review

The Hamiltonian ideas set forth at the birth of the nation were quickly transformed by Thomas Jefferson and his successors. Once elected as the third president of the United States, Jefferson set the presidency on a track toward populism and demagoguery that persists through the present day (12). He argued for majority rule and believed in the "unlimited potential of mankind." (13) Jefferson ratified the party system and selection of a president and vice president candidate (14). All his actions sought to democratize the presidency. Regarding the Constitution itself, Jefferson believed that "the dead should not govern the living" and the power rested within the citizenry (15). His beliefs and actions began the erosion of the framer's precautions and ideas (16). This was only furthered by President Andrew Jackson. Jackson was able to turn the presidency into "the voice of the people" which completely undermined the government established by the framers (17). In his own way, Jackson was a founding father of inflating rhetoric and the resulting impossible promises (18). In the end, Jefferson and Jackson inspired the approaches of then future presidents such as Woodrow Wilson. As with his predecessors, Wilson believed in the power of the people democratizing the presidency (19). Furthermore, he sought to democratize the "entire American constitutional order" as he saw the document as out of touch with the current issues at hand (20). As with Jefferson, Jackson, and most presidencies of popularity, Wilson labeled his opponents as enemies (21). In the rising technological age, Wilson was able to begin the trend of manipulating public opinion to support his agendas and ego and reject his enemies (22). In this same vein, Wilson was unable to separate his personal feelings from the presidential position and policies (23). By the end of his terms, Wilson effectively demolished the Hamiltonian beliefs of early American and fundamentally rewrote how Americans view the presidency.

There were a few presidents who proved that a strong president did not need to engage in demagoguery. The foremost example is Abraham Lincoln who "epitomized Hamilton's conception of an energetic executive." (24) His modest nature and rejection of majoritarianism allowed him to make great strides in civil rights and the unification of the nation (25). After the age of Woodrow Wilson, Dwight D. Eisenhower was also able to use his subtle approach to exercise his presidential powers behind the scenes (26). He also understood the "art of silence" (from Washington) was necessary to avoid inciting passionate public opinions (27). However, likely due to the shifting in the perceived role of the presidency, Eisenhower suffered from low popular and scholarly appeal at the time (28).

Following Eisenhower is the line of presidents who continued to perpetuate the demagoguery and populist view of the presidency set forth by Jefferson, Jackson, and Wilson. As with the previous examples, there were those who broke the mold, however, few did. The presidents who framed their approach to presidency on Jefferson, Jackson, and Wilson often could not distinguish themselves from the presidential position, believed in conspiracy theories, labeled their opposers as enemies, used embellished rhetoric, and manipulated the public beliefs to fit their views—each becoming easier as technology advanced. For example, the relationship between presidents and the public grew closer and conspiracy theories became easier to spread with the expansion of the Internet (29).

Arguably as a predictable and "logical culmination of a century of experimentation with the Wilsonian presidency," Donald Trump was elected president and has "hastened the office's descent into a media-saturated, cultish, hyperpartisan, public-opinion pandering enterprise." (30) He holds all of the hallmarks of a demagogue: unable to distinguish himself from his temporary position, believer of conspiracies, a user of overstated promises, an antagonizer of his "enemies," and manipulator of the people (31). As the epitome of demagoguery, he has furthered these beliefs toward the role of the president and divided the nation. Although possible that Trump has issued irreparable damage and that someone worse could be ahead, it's equally possible that the downward trend is reversable (32).