Większość arytmetyczna czy konkurencyjna?Konstytucja Stanów Zjednoczonych w myśli politycznej Johna Caldwella Calhouna

Abstract

John Caldwell Calhoun was an American statesman and political theorist from South Carolina who defended the interest of the Union southern states. Calhoun was one of staunch spokesmen of slavery, but in this article the author presents his constitutional and political thought. After the introduction of the Tariff of Abominations Calhoun became one of the most important actors in the nullification crisis and a defender of states’ rights, limited federal government and the right to nullify. Referring to the ideas of the Founding Fathers, Calhoun considered the Union as a union of sovereign states and he opposed the strengthening of the federal government. He rejected numerical democracy and advocated the introduction of a constitutional reform protecting minority from the tyranny of majority. He proposed the concept of a concurent majority, which took into account various interests and, consequently, defended the agricultural South from the industrial domination of the North. His reflections and warnings heavily influenced the South’s secession and the outbreak of the Civil War.