I'm reading an introductory book on economics, and I'm on the part about "institutions." Squishy concept indeed. His stab at defining is "the arrangements between people and organizations." Meh. I didn't think about it until you pointed it out, but that is hilarious. "Most likely to be president."In high school, I was on a mock congressional hearings team (lmfao i know)
that's...kind of it. it's more of a feedback loop than that. actions shape institutions which shape actions etc The mock congressional hearings program (called We The People naturally) is divided into 6 units each with a different focus (philosophical/historical foundations of the US, the founders' process/intent, post-civil war adaptations to the constitution, how the constitution shaped american institutions, the role of the bill of rights, and 21st century issues). I was in the last group which is affectionately dubbed the lovey dovey touchy feely group. And here I am lmao
That sounds rad actually. We The People. I wish I had something like that in middle school. I just read a really interesting book by a legal author Akhil Reed Amar that touched on the Reconstruction Congress and it's "intents" with the 13th and 14th amendments. It inspired me to pick up his America's Constitution: A Biography (though it might be some time before I get to it. I'm currently on hour 3 of 67 of The Power Broker: Robert Moses and the Fall of New York). But speaking of building institutions, trying to normalize the South after the Civil War... sheesh. Not jealous of that job.post-civil war adaptations to the constitution
Akhil Reed Amar was the patron saint of unit 3. I haven't heard that name in forever haha. Yeah and it's definitely really easy to look at Reconstruction and where we are today and draw the conclusion that institution building is hard.