Answer:
C. The relatively limited powers of the Articles of Confederation
Explanation:
Republican government, according to Paine's ideas, should be based on the principle of popular representation. This is a government established in the interests of society and carried out in its interests, both individual and collective. Since it is based on popular sovereignty, the sovereign power should be vested in the legislature, elected on the basis of universal suffrage as the realization of the natural equality of people.
From this perspective, Paine criticized the US Constitution of 1787, during the adoption of which he was in Europe. Thus, in fixing the system of “checks and balances” in the Constitution, he rightly saw the influence of Montesquieu's theory of separation of powers, with which he did not agree. He also saw a drawback of the Constitution in the creation of a bicameral legislative body formed on the basis of the censored suffrage that existed in the states. The term of office of senators (six years) was too long in his opinion. He preferred the collegial to the sole head of the executive branch (president) provided for by the Constitution. He also objected to giving the president the right of veto, the irremovability of judges, who, he believed, should be re-elected and be accountable to the people. Finally, Paine argued that each generation should decide for itself what is in its best interest and therefore have the right to amend the Constitution.
The political views of Thomas Jefferson were close to the political views of Paine. Like Paine, Jefferson adopted the legal doctrine in its most radical and democratic interpretation. Hence the proximity of his political and legal views to the ideas of Rousseau. True, before the start of the War of Independence, Jefferson hoped for a peaceful resolution to the conflict with England and was influenced by the theory of separation of powers of Montesquieu. But this did not prevent him from subsequently criticizing the US Constitution of 1787, which perceived the separation of powers as a system of “checks and balances” and gave the president the opportunity to be re-elected an unlimited number of times and thereby, according to Jefferson, become a lifelong monarch. He considered the lack of a Bill of Rights, especially freedom of speech, the press, religion, to be a major drawback of the Constitution.
