Neibart’s Senior Thesis

Elias Neibart wrote a thesis for the Emory Political Science Department, and he received highest honors on the project. He is interested in political theory and how philosophy impacted the structure and function of government. Below, you can find a portion of his thesis.

“How can we characterize American government? Do Americans live in a republic, a democracy, or something entirely different? The following will engage with the relevant historical, political, and philosophical record to answer this question. To address this question, scholars have traditionally consulted both modern philosophy — particularly the writings of Charles de Montesquieu — and the writings of the individuals who crafted and codified the United States Constitution. After doing so, such scholars have concluded that the United States is simply a republic. The following, however, will argue that such a characterization is incomplete and, in some ways, inaccurate. In order to properly and fully understand American government, we must look not only towards modern philosophy and the historical incidents leading up to the Constitution’s ratification; instead, we must also engage with the ancient doctrine of the mixed regime — promulgated by thinkers like Aristotle and Polybius. Such a scholarly endeavor is necessary because the following will demonstrate that those who drafted and ratified the Constitution were motivated by two primary goals: (1) guaranteeing individual liberty and (2) promoting state longevity and security. The prior of these goals was of particular interest to modern philosophers and the latter was addressed and central to the doctrines of ancient thinkers. This paper will demonstrate that a holistic approach to defining American government requires engaging with and consulting both philosophical schools of thought. And, ultimately, the following will show that American government can be defined and characterized as a mixed regime, for it mixes both modern and ancient political and philosophical doctrines, and, in doing so, accomplishes two distinct yet wholly important state objectives.”