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Summary: Arguments for an United Union of states
Review: The arguments for a union:
1. Union was necessary for commerce
2. Commerce facilitated a need for a National Bank
3. Banks charge interest
4. The role of government is to raise revenue from the taxation of commerce
5. The Union represented a favorable trade partner for the world
6. A federal army was created too defend the union
7. Independant States are inheritantly dangerous; this was danger caused by territorial disputes, large state standing armies against small state standing armies, and inconsistent monetary policy fustrating external countries from doing business; whereas, a union represented stability and consistency for the trade partners.The balance of Power is false - the three branches don't hold power equally:
1. Power is controlled by the legislative branch, the legislative branch creates laws; the executive enforces the law; and the Judical intreprets the law.
2. The executive power increases in power during war
3. The judical branch is the weakest of all the branches. The judical branch was not expected to an powerful entity.
4. The republic form of government is a defense against the imperial monarchy. Sovereignty resides in the states. Bad laws can be opposed by a minority of states. States receive equal representation in the senate. The delegates are too vote against bad laws, this equality prevents tyrancal laws. If a majority of the republic supports bad laws then the people have the ultimate power to revolt and gain control of the government.
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Summary: Classic and basis for American political theory!
Review: The combination of these three authors and their complete, unabridged works is amazing. ONline editions of their works are cumbersome and in general, not as handy as this paperback.
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Summary: The most important text in American political thought.
Review: The Federalist is the most important work on American political ideology, save perhaps for the Constitution itself. Written largely by Madison and Hamilton (John Jay became ill after writing only a handful of the essays), two of the most brilliant minds this country has produced (okay, Hamilton was not technically a natural-born American, but that's splitting hairs), The Federalist is nothing short of remarkable in its argument for a federal system of republican government. Particularly important is Madison's Federalist No. 10, which blends Hume's and Montesquieu's thoughts on faction and republicanism to present a brilliant argument for an extended republic based on a federation of smaller republics (ie, the United States). If you don't own a copy already, buy one. In fact, buy two (as I have)-one hardbound volume to keep on your bookshelf for reference, and one paperback to carry with you wherever you go. If I had a fire in my apartment and had time to grab only one book, I would not hesitate at all to save this one.
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Summary: "If men were angels..."
Review: The Federalist Papers explains the novelty and wisdom of the experiment that became the American system of government. Our system is a work of genius! As I read through the book, I couldn't help but to reflect on the greatness of Abraham Lincoln, with respect to the feat he ultimately accomplished by preserving a Union of states as described in the Federalist Papers. After all, the fears of factions and wars between states described at length in the Federalist Papers ultimately materialized in the Civil War. It really is a miracle that we live in a country of 50 states united as one, and we owe it all to the resolve of Lincoln! In closing, I can only say how glad and appreciative I am that the founders of this great nation remained committed to long-lasting, freedom-loving principles, and were not overtaken by short term agendas and thinking! America, consequently, is, in my not-so-humble opinion, the greatest nation on earth!
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Summary: The Federalist Papers
Review: The Federalist Papers were penned as essays by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison and John Jay. These brilliant men wanted a government that had a constitution and that could endure the test of time. A democracy that a political scientist would be proud of... a government that is clear and comtemporay, that could function with greatness and be fair to its people, a government that the individual was an integral part. Reading the Federalist papers makes you wonder how, with all of the problems with travel, could they pull this type of untested government off on the people. But, be thankful they did as there is no better government found throughout the world today. Very informative and you can tell by the writing styles who is writing what. This is a must read for all students in high school and especially those going to law school.
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Summary: Timeless
Review: The Federalist Papers were written primarily by Alexander Hamilton and James Maddison (with a few also written by John Jay) under the pen name of "Publius." The papers were written to gain support of the residents of New York State for ratification of the Constitution. First, it is important to note what the Papers are not! They are not debates among the drafters of the Constitution which can serve as legislative history as to the drafters' intent. Rather, ithey are the opinion of "Publius" as to why we needed a Constitution setting up a federal system with a strong national government rather than a weaker system under the failed Articles of Confederation. For example, how could we have a national defense if one small confederation of states were attacked and the other states were not bound by a strong antional government to come to it's defense? Hamilton and Madison grew to be political rivals so it is interesting to see the unity they had in advocating our system of government under the proposed Constitution. Of particular interest is the classic warning against factions and the mental wrestling over the best way to temper their effects. I believe that whether you plow through all of the Papers cover to cover, or read them selectively, you will gain an invaluable appreciation for the genius behind our system of government.
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Summary: The groundwork for a constitutional government
Review: The founding of America wasn't quite as easy as the original colonists banding together to revolt against the mother country and, once done, putting a new country on the map. Long before the Revolutionary War, the men who would be forever identified as the country's founding fathers, had to have colonists' support by convincing them that the new nation they envisioned promised a better life. In doing that, the eventual founders published their ideas and ideals in a collection called "The Federalist Papers," so titled to identify the proposed new government as a federalist one that established a federal government of three branches (the executive, judiciary and legislative) with checks and balances, and independent of what would be territorial states. Here, in essay form, the towering historic words of such founders as George Washington, Thomas Paine, Alexander Hamilton, James Madison and John Jay lay out their vision of a new country not under the stifling governance of the mother country. The ideas of the founding fathers, in their time, were widely feared, criticized, debated and disputed. But the idealism of a new country won enough support that colonists revolted against the mother country. Far from the revered ideologies that laid the groundwork for America's constitutional form of government, "The Federalist Papers" are a must-read for anyone seriously interested in how we as an American people began and why we're where we are now.
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Summary: A Must Read
Review: The funny thing is that I happened to stumble across a review of this edition while perusing a political scientist's list of books for congressional studies. The fact is virtually no political scientist reads the Federalist Papers anymore, which says much more about political science than it does about the Federalist Papers. Nothing has taught me more about our system of government than the Federalists. This is an outstanding new edition, although I share the grief of others that they changed the pagination from the old Rossiter edition. Kesler's intro is top notch and the glossary in the back is perfect, as most students are mystified by the allusions in the work.
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Summary: The best edition of a must read collection.
Review: The Mentor edition (used by Scalia among others) is by far the best edition of the Federalist Papers. It includes substantial amounts of related information, but of primary importance is the entire text of the Constitution with cross references to specific pages of the Federalist Papers on that topic. This is an extremely useful tool to anyone desiring to gain more knowledge about the Constitution and the founders intent, and it is especially useful to anyone taking a Con Law class. In general the Federalist Papers is a must read for anyone interested in the founding of the US, or desiring to learn how our system of federalism, and separation of powers was intended to work. I recommend reading numbers 10, 49, and 78 first.
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Summary: Political Philosophy of Durability and Power
Review: These papers plus the Declaration of Independence constitute the core political philosophy upon which America and its political institutions were founded. Heavily influenced by the ideas of Locke and Montesquieu, the three writers of the "Federalist Papers" developed potent political rhetoric designed to persuade as many politically-involved people as possible that a new constitution was needed. These men knew much of history and political philosophy, and they were not blindly led by either to embrace some narrow dogma. They had an open mind, and their sagacity told them that in order to endure the new country has to remain open to fresh ideas and experiments. Their scholastic knowledge, in short, did not lead them to abandon their practical wisdom. These papers combine polemics and analysis, history and conjecture, hope and caution. Every American should read "The Federalist Papers," for they are the ideological "stuff" of this country. Read them, appreciate them, and think for yourself. "The Federalist Papers" are a heritage and a challenge. They endure and intrigue. They are a part of the foundation under the magnificent construction that is the United States of America.
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