Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Preamble to the Constitution

The Preamble explains the purposes of the Constitution, and defines the powers of the new government as originating from the people of the United States.The Preamble to the United States Constitution is a introductory statement  stating the purposes of the Constitution. It stats that it was created  to "form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity..." 

What is a social contract?
           --It's an idea that government originates as an implied contract among individuals who agree to obey laws in exchange for protection of their rights. Basically if you follow the laws that the government has created then in exchange the government will fight for the rights of the people. 


How does the government promote the general Welfare?
           -- The government helps out by providing "public goods". The Preamble's mention of general welfare is supplemented by a more specific, and more authoritative, clause in Article 1, Section 8:

"The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States; but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States."

1 comment:

  1. Public good, not goods. The Constitution was in now way meant to redistribute resources to special groups of people, it is actually a restrictive power.

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