Liberty Essay

Successful mining engineer Herbert Hoover

traveled the globe as a result of his work. He interacted with numerous political figures, including kings, princes, despots, and desperate people. He also served in tyrannical regimes run by socialists, freemen, and communists. He is therefore better qualified to evaluate American politics regarding various racial and ethnic groups. Hoover consequently held the belief in American exceptionalism, which was molded by his experiences moving around the world as well as his upbringing in an Iowan village. As a result, according to Hoover, “the founding fathers dedicated a new republic under the supervision of Divine Providence.” (1). His philosophy was influenced by both American exceptionalism and the national faith. America’s civic religion was well-defined by the constitution and the Declaration principles of Independence. Hoover is the belief that American religious heritage, as well as its economic system, gave rise to America’s uniqueness hence equal opportunities (Foner, 640).

Hoover asserts that true-liberalism is gained through a constitutional government.

His philosophy sprouted the American legal system that entailed many principles. They include; mandatory and effective obligation to promote the common welfare, denial of any group, business, the right of the government itself or class to invade essential liberties. Also, the constitution honors majority rule; the government is to be of laws and not of men and guarantees protection of all the rights by its tribunals. That is the structure of Democracy of America. A government can be as small as possible provided it has well-stipulated laws in the constitution guiding it (Wood, 215).

On the other hand, Franklin D Roosevelt believed in the New Deal liberalism

that was at the expense of constitutional government. His primary concern was to fight the Depression and in the process deviate from the constitutional-limited government. Roosevelt believed in a more prominent government to handle economic downturns and create a just social order. He also believed in a government that would be economically active through spending and investments (Howe, 1830).

Works Cited

Foner, Eric. “Give Me Liberty, Volume 2, Seagull Edition.” (2006): 629-632.

Howe, Daniel Walker. What hath God wrought: the transformation of America, 1815-1848. Oxford University Press, 2007.

Wood, Gordon S. Empire of liberty: a history of the early Republic, 1789-1815. Oxford University Press, 2009: 200–350