Thomas Jefferson: Aristocracy, Education, Elections And Government

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8 pages in length. Jefferson's belief in a natural aristocracy served to influence his views on public education, elections and government in general in a tremendous way. Not only did he champion the cause against simulated aristocracy whereby the wealthy and powerful sought to rule the masses with unyielding restraint, but he earnestly furthered the foundation heretofore laid by Locke: Man is born into natural aristocracy by virtue of being a human being and living amidst the global population. No additional qualifications are necessary for this type of innate nobility, most definitely nothing that implies artificial power as cultivated by self-importance and oppression. The manner by which this belief in natural aristocracy relates to Jefferson's feelings about more traditional forms of aristocracy is such that - even though a member of a higher class himself - he was finely tuned into the cause of the common man. Bibliography lists 1 source.