Choose Your 18th Century Plan of Government

[OttoVonBismarck]

At the Constitutional convention of 1789, it was an eclectic time for constitution wonks who enjoyed drafting their own plans of government. As such, we had several plans for a new constitution that came under consideration. Essentially a compromise plan, integrating elements of the New Jersey and Virginia plans prevailed, as some may remember from 12th grade civics this was the plan of Roger Sherman of Connecticut (the "Connecticut Compromise".)

I've included some diagrams of the various plans for your learned review. (Virginia Plan, Pinckney Plan, New Jersey Plan,Hamilton Plan)

Key points:

Hamilton Plan - National executive is elected indirectly through an electoral college to a life term. This executive office was intended to be a sort of "Republican Monarch" and wouldn't be too involved in the day-to-day running of government but would have a power of absolute veto and would be responsible for appointing cabinet officers and military officers above a certain rank.

The lower house of government was elected by the people to 3 year terms, the upper house or Senate was selected by State legislatures to life terms. Interestingly, the Senate had the power to veto any state law they found unfit. The Senate also appointed State governors.

New Jersey Plan - Very similar to the articles of confederation. Slightly beefed up Federal government, but with each State having equal representation. Further, State representatives voted as a caucus and final votes were tallied based on the number of State caucuses voting yea or nay. The Federal executive was to be a council, appointed to one year terms by the legislature. State governments could unilaterally call a vote to have executive council members removed. States would be responsible for funding a national treasury proportional to either population or property taxes collected in the State.

Pinckney Plan - The plan history forgot, and that was never fully written down anywhere. But a key note in this plan is it would have guaranteed one representative to the national congress per 1,000 residents. Those elected members of the lower house would then elect from their own body members to the upper House who would serve longer terms. It appears the upper house would have most of the legislative power day-to-day. The upper house would elect a national executive to a set term. The upper house would also have responsibility for "regulating state militias" and appointing members to the executive's council as well as appointing judges. There would also have been a council of revision, particulars not really covered, that would be responsible for reviewing legislation. This is how I'd vote, just because it would give us a lower House with 310,000 representatives.

Virginia Plan - Often called the "Large State plan." The lower house would be elected, with representation proportional to population. The lower house would elect members of the upper house, but they would be nominated for said election by their state legislatures. The upper house had veto power over State legislature legislation. The upper house would elect the national executive (one term limit.)  It does not appear the national executive would have veto power directly, but would be allowed to select a subset of the higher level Federal courts to a "council of revision" that could review and veto legislation.

Sherman Plan - Essentially the plan they actually voted on.

[Neil]

A plan that involves rejoining civilization, which is to say the Empire.

[OttoVonBismarck]

Languish themed plans:

The Neil Plan - Not really a constitutional plan, just a form of absolute government centered around a core group who worships Neil and carries out his iron will.

The Monoriu Plan - Government is ran mostly by bureaucrats with a few elected positions, but the votes are auctioned off like bonds to the highest bidder. No taxes whatsoever, all government services are paid for via user fees.

CountDeMoney Plan - A plan of action. Initially all the wealthy are lynched and ritually burned by an angry amorphous mob of college students, minorities and poor people and their ashes are spread to the winds. Afterward, government is ran by various Committees of Public safety selected from the mob, who direct their enforcers to root out and kill any capitalist interests and to investigate if anyone has become "too" wealthy.

DGuller Plan - Government isn't too different than what we have now, but there is no voting. Instead a combination of statistical models and predictions markets are used to divine the will of the electorate.

[Ed Anger]

We need a plan where states send a offering of female virgins to their beloved dictator for life. Also, timmay is proscribed.

[crazy canuck]

None of the above, you should have gone with a Parliamentary democracy.   But no, you guys had to make like a bunch of EU modders and experiment with a bunch of what ifs.  Too bad you can't just exit, delete the mods and restart.

[OttoVonBismarck]

None of the above, you should have gone with a Parliamentary democracy.   But no, you guys had to make like a bunch of EU modders and experiment with a bunch of what ifs.  Too bad you can't just exit, delete the mods and restart.

The Hamilton plan was fairly similar to that. There was a Senate President under the Hamilton plan who apparently would function similar to the British Prime Minister. If we had adopted the Hamilton plan most likely the elected executive would functionally be akin to your Governor-General and the Senate leader would be akin to your PM.

Where it gets different is the Senate wasn't directly elected even, so the head of government would be more removed from the electorate if that system persisted. I would probably guess if we had adopted the Hamilton plan over time the lower House would take precedence and the leader of that House would become paramount.

The other delegates to the convention all basically said Hamilton's plan was good, but essentially the same as the system the British used and thus they would not adopt it. So it basically is the parliamentary option.

[CountDeMoney]

Hamilton's plan in its purity was definitely a bit too "English" for public consumption, and a lot of the Convention never trusted him anyway, but his was big-picture unionist, God bless him.   It took Madison quite a bit of effort to tone him down.

I was definitely not a fan of the Virginia Plan--too much cross pollination with state government--and Pickney's approach was way too unworkable, but I liked his opinion that Senators shouldn't have even been paid.  Imagine how that would go over today. 

I gotta go back and read some books on the Convention, haven't read any in a while;  in my opinion, it was more interesting than the 2nd Continental Congress.  What I liked about it was all the "little battles", like whether Federal reps could hold state titles, how they would be paid, etc.  Amazing debates.  Shame Madison was the only one to keep real notes.  Imagine if there were a stenographer present.

[CountDeMoney]

CountDeMoney Plan - A plan of action. Initially all the wealthy are lynched and ritually burned by an angry amorphous mob of college students, minorities and poor people and their ashes are spread to the winds. Afterward, government is ran by various Committees of Public safety selected from the mob, who direct their enforcers to root out and kill any capitalist interests and to investigate if anyone has become "too" wealthy.

Daddy like.  The only good Republican is a French Republican. 

[merithyn]

Can I be the matriarch of the Nanny State?

[Neil]

The Neil Plan - Not really a constitutional plan, just a form of absolute government centered around a core group who worships Neil and carries out his iron will.

The God-Emperor commands you to... enact socialized medicine and stop carrying handguns.  So let it be written, so let it be done.

CountDeMoney Plan - A plan of action. Initially all the wealthy are lynched and ritually burned by an angry amorphous mob of college students, minorities and poor people and their ashes are spread to the winds. Afterward, government is ran by various Committees of Public safety selected from the mob, who direct their enforcers to root out and kill any capitalist interests and to investigate if anyone has become "too" wealthy.

Unless CdM gets a job, in which case his class warfare attitudes will subside and the nature of the government will revolve around whoever can get atomic weapons deployed on China the fastest.

[Zanza]

None of the above, you should have gone with a Parliamentary democracy.   

This.

[OttoVonBismarck]

Um, that is what the Hamilton plan was. It was basically a copy of the extant British system.

[Zanza]

One important aspect of a parliamentary republic that is at least not mentioned in your description of Hamilton's model is that the actual head of government (=prime minister) is responsible to the lower chamber.

[crazy canuck]

Um, that is what the Hamilton plan was. It was basically a copy of the extant British system.

That is a pretty poor translation of Parliamentary Democracy

[OttoVonBismarck]

One important aspect of a parliamentary republic that is at least not mentioned in your description of Hamilton's model is that the actual head of government (=prime minister) is responsible to the lower chamber.

Well, like I said, Hamilton's model was based on the extant British system. In the British system you still had many of the Prime Ministers coming from the Lords during that era. Also, as the British system developed a lot of what we know as the modern Westminster system evolved over time. In the 1780s for example a Prime Minister could hang onto office for years without being able to get things done in the Commons. This is because technically (and even still today) the monarch has the theoretical power to keep whatever minister they want and no one can force them to change. That's just pointless constitutional theory in the modern Westminster system, but it was fact under George III. At various points several of his ministers (notably North) came to him basically begging to step down and call a new election, because they were so thoroughly unable to get things done in the commons it was paralyzing government. But George III basically browbeat North into staying on and refused any compromise candidates.

Hamilton's plan did not clearly delineate a "Head of Government." Just based on what we know, it "feels" like maybe it would have been President of the Senate, at least at first. But who knows how it would have developed at the time. The type of parliamentary government you are familiar with today simply did not exist in any form in 1789, but the Hamilton plan represented a close proxy to the British system (his plan is sometimes called the British Plan) and given how it evolved in Britain and elsewhere it's probable it would have evolved along similar lines in the U.S. But if you were expecting any system similar to say Germany or Britain's you would be sorely disappointed--that type of government simply had not been invented yet. It was not an option. But the ancestor of that form was an option.