The Congress and the Presidency
Woodrow Wilsons book, Congressional Government, which he wrote as a young political science graduate at John Hopkins University, extensively discussed the shift of power from the presidency to Congress. While this was true in the period observed by Wilson because of the aftermath of historically significant events such as the Civil War, the same shift of power was not the case during Wilsons own term as President of the United States from 1913-1921 and Theodore Roosevelts term from 1901-1909. In fact, during this period, there was a shift of power from Congress to the Presidency.
Congress wasnt too powerful in the late 18th century and early 19th century, which was the period preceding Wilsons and Roosevelts presidencies. Its decisions didnt have that much impact in the lives of citizens. This drastically changed during the late 19th century when events such as the Civil War clearly established hegemony of the government in politics. An interdependent economy supported by interstate commerce also emerged after the industrial revolution, which gave the national government more crucial decisions to make regarding the lives of citizens. The US was also conquering faraway territories and encountering foreign policy issues. These events shifted power from the Presidency to Congress because the latter was in charge of regulating interstate and foreign commerce, providing advice to treaties and ambassadorial nominations, controlling defense authorizations, and declaring wars (Davis, 1980, p. 75).
However, by the Progressive Era from 1880s to the 1920s, spanning the presidencies of Wilson and Roosevelt, members of Congress realized that centralized power within the legislative body didnt serve their personal interests anymore. They turned against strong party leaders who reduced organizational chaos, and instead, saw them as tyrants who hindered their personal careers and specializations in policy. Decentralization of Congress thus ensued, with members of the Congress stripping the Speaker of the House of most of its potency and eradicating the role of a powerful majority party leader in the Senate. Party government ended, replaced by committee government which served the interests of individual members of the Congress. Democratization of Congress was supported by the business sector and executive agencies because these elements also despised strong party leaders who tended to go against the interests of particular sectors of economy and society, since they were nationally oriented (Davis, 1980, p. 77).
During Wilsons and Roosevelts term, Congress was characterized by committees, which although promoted democratization, created internal chaos in the legislative body. Since the Congress was largely immobile or stagnant, the country elected strong presidents such as Wilson and Roosevelt who had the power to regain national political leadership. Theodore Roosevelt inspired the public so much that in 1904, he trampled upon his Democratic opponent by a popular majority of three-to-two and he took all states except for two in the South. In the executive sphere, he spearheaded the creation of national forests from public lands, initiated antitrust prosecutions, and led a coal strike settlement by threatening to close the mines down. Congress was troubled so much by his fast actions that they demanded he explain the legality of his executive decisions (Sundquist, 1981, p. 31).
Wilson was very much like Roosevelt who dominated the Congress fettered by its disputing committees. He was very much in favor of party government and sought the Presidency to take leadership of the immobile government. Wilsons swift activism was supported by the party majority elected with him, which was comprised of progressives who looked up to him for leadership. Democrats were also eager to work with him because they wanted to make a good record after their long period out of power. Thus, Wilsons analysis as a graduate student at Johns Hopkins was correct, that there was a power shift from the Presidency to Congress. However, during his term and Roosevelts, times had clearly changed and through them, the Presidency dominated Congress.
Congress wasnt too powerful in the late 18th century and early 19th century, which was the period preceding Wilsons and Roosevelts presidencies. Its decisions didnt have that much impact in the lives of citizens. This drastically changed during the late 19th century when events such as the Civil War clearly established hegemony of the government in politics. An interdependent economy supported by interstate commerce also emerged after the industrial revolution, which gave the national government more crucial decisions to make regarding the lives of citizens. The US was also conquering faraway territories and encountering foreign policy issues. These events shifted power from the Presidency to Congress because the latter was in charge of regulating interstate and foreign commerce, providing advice to treaties and ambassadorial nominations, controlling defense authorizations, and declaring wars (Davis, 1980, p. 75).
However, by the Progressive Era from 1880s to the 1920s, spanning the presidencies of Wilson and Roosevelt, members of Congress realized that centralized power within the legislative body didnt serve their personal interests anymore. They turned against strong party leaders who reduced organizational chaos, and instead, saw them as tyrants who hindered their personal careers and specializations in policy. Decentralization of Congress thus ensued, with members of the Congress stripping the Speaker of the House of most of its potency and eradicating the role of a powerful majority party leader in the Senate. Party government ended, replaced by committee government which served the interests of individual members of the Congress. Democratization of Congress was supported by the business sector and executive agencies because these elements also despised strong party leaders who tended to go against the interests of particular sectors of economy and society, since they were nationally oriented (Davis, 1980, p. 77).
During Wilsons and Roosevelts term, Congress was characterized by committees, which although promoted democratization, created internal chaos in the legislative body. Since the Congress was largely immobile or stagnant, the country elected strong presidents such as Wilson and Roosevelt who had the power to regain national political leadership. Theodore Roosevelt inspired the public so much that in 1904, he trampled upon his Democratic opponent by a popular majority of three-to-two and he took all states except for two in the South. In the executive sphere, he spearheaded the creation of national forests from public lands, initiated antitrust prosecutions, and led a coal strike settlement by threatening to close the mines down. Congress was troubled so much by his fast actions that they demanded he explain the legality of his executive decisions (Sundquist, 1981, p. 31).
Wilson was very much like Roosevelt who dominated the Congress fettered by its disputing committees. He was very much in favor of party government and sought the Presidency to take leadership of the immobile government. Wilsons swift activism was supported by the party majority elected with him, which was comprised of progressives who looked up to him for leadership. Democrats were also eager to work with him because they wanted to make a good record after their long period out of power. Thus, Wilsons analysis as a graduate student at Johns Hopkins was correct, that there was a power shift from the Presidency to Congress. However, during his term and Roosevelts, times had clearly changed and through them, the Presidency dominated Congress.
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