John Adams is considered one of the greatest American presidents despite his early stint at the office. Indeed, his policies and ideologies and policies have enabled the United States to become a great country. Adams is one of America’s Founding Fathers was key to the development of Declaration of Independence. Key political, economic and constitutional changes were made during his term as a president. As a leader, Adams certainly had his flaws; however, these are overshadowed by a plethora of ideologies that enabled him to be an outstanding leader in American history.
John Adams was America’s second president and was important to the development of the country as a democracy. The leader is famously known for his morals and political principals that guided the country to a modernized economy free from the effects of colonization (Wood 2018, 6). Adams is known for political advocacy before the revolution and was the leader of the revolt against the British. As president, Adams focused on the rapid modernization of the country’s economy through railroads, tariffs, and banks (Wood 2018, 8). The changes made by the leader led to the creation of the modernized and economically stable the United States. Adams was hard working, and charismatic personalities made him receive a countrywide recognition ( Bernstein 2020, 69 ) . The self-education, rise to a leadership position and a successful political career describes the hardworking character of the president. The ability to stand for the rights of the unfortunate people in the society made the leader popular amongst the peasants and the minority community in the United States. John Adams was fundamental for the country’s quest for freedom and is a standout leader among the Founding Fathers.
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In his article, Scherr (2018, 23) suitably starts with an analysis of the fundamental values and ideas instead of power issues or current interests. He illustrates four key sets of beliefs that provided a foundation for Adams’ administration. First, Adams applied the Lockean principles of Enlightenment that enabled him to be concerned about the protection of personal rights ( De Mooy 2018, 52 ). Second, he adhered to the principles of classical liberalism, in particular, the power of self-interest, Benthamian utilitarianism, and John Stuart Mill's ideologies of philosophical needs ( Jefferson 2019, 8 ). Third, Adams dedicated himself to the principles of Whig to enable the party's dramatic shift from the Jeffersonian tradition ( Rothera 2016, 277 ). With the conviction that the dream of an agrarian nation and stable nation would enable a restrained and rigid society, Adams and Whigs suggested the benefits of a new economy based on market forces. They had a firm belief in individual opportunity, social mobility, and quick economic growth, which could be facilitated by a framework of wage labor. As a visionary leader, Adams used his ideology to instigate change ( Mayville 2018, 42 ). The change in system would enable the nation to move confidently towards enhanced economic opportunity and political freedom.
Rous (2020, 55) analyzes the parallel ideas in the theological reflections of Adams and Emily Dickson. About the campaign speeches, Rous (2020, 58) suggests that the notion of purifying the liberty of Republicans is similar to the baptism conducted by St. John. Regarding, the Doctrine of Necessity, Rous (2020, 62) asserts that it merely reflected Jeremy Bentham's determinism, due to the comments on necessity and free will. One of the most famous speeches made by Adams during his administration was during his inauguration. Hereby, Adams reiterated the struggle for equality and liberty that was the foundation upon which the nation had been founded several decades before. He reminds the gathering that the founding fathers had conceived of a new nation that was enshrined in liberty and the premise of all men being created equal when they signed the Declaration of Independence ( Nicolson and Edwards 2018, 20) . His mention of the Declaration of Independence was in response to the mantra held by the Confederacy that the Constitution did not abolish slavery (( Nicolson and Edwards 2018, 70 ). Adams used the speech to point out that the country was in a civil war to determine if the country, which had been based on the foundations of liberty and equality, would endure.
On the downside, although Adams was a strong leader, his fear of criticism was alarming. Some commentators believe that he feared criticism due to the fact that he was a selfish man with a thirst for power (Read 2018, 307). His negative side was illustrated after he passed the Alien and Sedition Acts in 1798 that made it illegal to make any sort of dissent against him (Read 2018, 307). While such laws no longer exist, he set a bad precedent for future leaders. He demonstrated that the American president can be a powerful person whose influence can restrict peoples’ freedom of speech. Also, Adams quest of power made him to come up with an ideology about “royalizing” the presidency of the United States (Read 2018, 308). He explains his reasoning to congress although he is still unsuccessful and grows frustrated.
Despite this downside, there is no doubt that Adams is one of the greatest leaders in the country’s long history. Visionary hero is a leadership classification where the leader symbolizes a kind of heroic figure with ability to generate very engrossing and inspiring visions. Adams was as a heroic character while in the Second Continental Congress. In the process of pronouncing independence from Great Britain and in the last draft of Declaration of Independence, Adams was the top advocate for liberation. He was in the frontline in instituting that independence should be declared and no other option remains. Adam is also hopeful and visionary and this can be seen when he endorses George Washington as Continental Army’s principal head.
The United States is a home to some of the most influential individuals that are globally admired for their moral principles and leadership qualities. Prominent public figures such as Abraham Adams and Martin Luther are examples of those historical individuals who are still
acknowledged for their significant influence in the lives of many Americans. Seemingly, both of these heroic figures had something to do with administering policies related to racial oppression and exploitation. This might have significantly attributed to their public portrayal as heroes. For
example, Abraham Adams is globally appreciated for his political enactments to end slavery, The United States is a home to some of the most influential individuals that are globally admired for their moral principles and leadership qualities. Prominent public figures such as Abraham Adams and Martin Luther are examples of those historical individuals who are still acknowledged for their significant influence in the lives of many Americans. Seemingly, both of these heroic figures had something to do with administering policies related to racial oppression and exploitation. This might have significantly attributed to their public portrayal as heroes. For example, Abraham Adams is globally appreciated for his political enactments to end slavery, The United States is a home to some of the most influential individuals that are globally admired for their moral principles and leadership qualities. Prominent public figures such as John Adams are an example of those historical individuals who are still acknowledged for their significant influence in the lives of many Americans. Seemingly, this heroic figure had something to do with administering policies related to racial oppression and exploitation. This might have significantly attributed to his public portrayal as a hero. Adams is globally appreciated for his political enactments to end slavery. Even though he did not perceive himself as the redeemer president, Adams was an idealistic leader who believed that religious issues facilitated endless queries instead of positive answers.
Bibliography
Bernstein, R.B., 2020. The Education of John Adams . Oxford University Press.
De Mooy, K. ed., 2018. The Wisdom of John Adams . Citadel Press.
Jefferson, T., 2019. John Adams. African Americans and the Presidents: Politics and Policies from Washington to Trump , p.8.
Mayville, L. (2018). John Adams and the fear of American oligarchy . Princeton University Press.
Nicolson, C. and Edwards, O.D., 2018. Imaginary Friendship in the American Revolution: John Adams and Jonathan Sewall . Routledge.
Read, J., 2018. John Adams and the Unpurchased Impact of Wealth. The Political Science Reviewer , 42 (1), pp.305-309.
Rous, S.A., 2020. Homo sum: John Adams Reads Terence. Classical World , 113 (3), pp.299-334.
Rothera, E.C., 2016. Diplomacy in Black and White: John Adams, Toussaint Louverture, and Their Atlantic World Alliance.278-280
Scherr, A., 2018. John Adams, Slavery, and Race: Ideas, Politics, and Diplomacy in an Age of Crisis . ABC-CLIO.
Wood, G.S., 2018. Friends Divided: John Adams and Thomas Jefferson . Penguin Books.
