ABSTRACT
This chapter is about the anticipated benefit of increased public happiness that should result after the recommendations are put into effect. First, a brief definition is given, which is the joy people experience from participating in their local government. Then, there are brief quotes about happiness from Whitman and Putnam.
Jefferson’s ward system proposal is examined, which was a proposal for local direct democracies across the United States. Each ward would decide all local issues. Both New England town hall meetings and tribal governance were thought to have inspired Jefferson’s proposal. The American Indians were able to rule themselves without coercive government.
Arendt found that all modern revolutions saw the emergence of local direct democracies, or council systems as she wrote. She found that council systems did not persist because there was a conflict with political parties. And parties were thought to be a better way to govern.
In Jefferson’s proposal, as people became the government, they would experience public happiness. Jefferson incorporated local direct democracy with modern representative government. His proposal would give people a space to pursue public happiness by becoming the local government.
