Cooperation and Conflict in American Political History

By examining four key episodes in American political history, we can see how individual opinions, values, and attitudes can contribute to either cooperation or conflict. Two of these episodes are examples of political cooperation (the Constitutional Convention and initial responses to 9/11) and the other two are examples of political conflict (the civil rights movement and the dispute over the outcome of the 2000 presidential election).

While the Civil War is clearly the single most important example of political conflict in American history, it is so unusual and unlikely to reoccur that we will not focus on it in this analysis. However, as you read about these other four episodes, you might think about why the debate over slavery ultimately became violent. In particular, as you read about the civil rights movement, pay attention to ways that it was both similar to and different from the events leading up to and during the Civil War.

The Constitutional Convention

The Constitutional Convention has already been discussed at length in other lessons in this course. However, it is worth revisiting to examine why there was such a spirit of cooperation and compromise at the Convention. It could have very easily gone the other way. Much of the political philosophy invoked by the American revolutionaries to justify war with Britain suggested that large central governments were inherently bad. All thirteen states had developed strong, independent governments and, to some extent, independent political cultures. There were significant policy differences between the states ranging from taxation to slavery, and yet the delegates at the Convention uniformly agreed that they must put all such differences aside and work toward a document on which they could build a new nation.

What factors contributed to this spirit of cooperation and compromise?

1. The importance of the strong leadership of George Washington cannot be overstated. Many of the states indicated that they would not participate in the Convention's recommendations if Washington were not present.
2. Political circumstances all-around highlighted the need for a central government that could effectively respond to issues of trade (both internally and externally), national security, taxation, and a host of other issues.
3. Many of the principles that would eventually shape the Constitution had been first articulated and implemented in state constitutions. These were not simple ideas or dreams about how to establish good government—they had been tested and proven effective in the laboratories of democracy.
4. The delegates sent by the states were all learned men who studied philosophy, history, political science, and religion. They were also people of practical experience who knew the difference between a theory and a practice, between a nice-sounding idea and a realistic, workable political system.

An additional factor that contributed to a open and free exchange of ideas, opinions, and proposals at the Convention was the early agreement amongst the delegates to keep their proceedings secret. This would certainly not be acceptable in today’s climate of mistrust and suspicion of political leaders. However, at the time of the Convention, the delegates were allowed to express ideas, however farfetched or revolutionary, without fear of being misquoted or misunderstood in the media or elsewhere. They could even change their votes without being labeled “wishy-washy.”

While there was a general mood of cooperation and compromise amongst the delegates, there was not nearly as much consensus in the broader public. Indeed, the supporters of the Constitution recognized that all the work at Philadelphia would be worthless if they could not win the support of the people. Both the Federalist Papers and the Anti-federalist Papers were aimed at convincing the people to either support or reject the Constitution. The political debates were intense, with numerous impassioned speeches, letters, tracts, and debates focusing on the merits or weaknesses of the Constitution in small town hall meetings, public assemblies, legislative bodies, churches, and in the press. Even here the sense of community and the overwhelming need for national cohesiveness that prevailed at the convention ultimately carried the day. Strong political leadership, a well-informed citizenry, and dire political circumstances all contributed to an astonishing series of compromises and ultimately enough consensus to form one nation out of thirteen independent states.