George W. Carey - Böcker

"Throughout this scrupulously researched interpretation of The Federalist papers, Carey provides a glimpse of our Republic's originaldesign. He shows us what kind of federal union The Federalist'sauthors had in mind, and indicates how we have strayed from their intent."-- Paul Gottfried, National Review"The best book yet published on The Federalist." --Paul Peterson, The Review of Politics"Serious scholars of American politics will find it stimulatingand useful in deepening their own understanding of the American regime."-- Charles E. Umbanhowar, Perspectives on Political Science"Likely to become a classic in its own right. The Federalistis excellent: well organized, carefully considered, incisive, lucid, concise,and masterful." -- Ellis Sandoz, author of A Government of Laws: Political Theory, Religion, and the American Founding

Americans are increasingly ruled by an unwritten constitution consisting of executive orders, signing statements, and other forms of quasi-law that lack the predictability and consistency essential for the legal system to function properly. As a result, the U.S. Constitution no longer means what it says to the people it is supposed to govern, and the government no longer acts according to the rule of law. These developments can be traced back to a change in “constitutional morality,” Bruce Frohnen and George Carey argue in this challenging book.The principle of separation of powers among co-equal branches of government formed the cornerstone of America’s original constitutional morality. But toward the end of the nineteenth century, Progressives began to attack this bedrock principle, believing that it impeded government from “doing the people’s business.” The regime of mixed powers, delegation, and expansive legal interpretation they instituted rejected the ideals of limited government that had given birth to the Constitution. Instead, Progressives promoted a governmental model rooted in French revolutionary claims. They replaced a Constitution designed to mediate among society’s different geographic and socioeconomic groups with a body of quasi-laws commanding the democratic reformation of society.Pursuit of this Progressive vision has become ingrained in American legal and political culture—at the cost, according to Frohnen and Carey, of the constitutional safeguards that preserve the rule of law.

This reprinted work on political theory challenges core tenets of our political views deriving from the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights. It argues that we need to look to the key documents of the founding era - the Mayflower Compact and the Virginia Bill of Rights.

Communitarianism is currently the subject of much interest and scrutiny by both liberals and conservatives. In Community and Tradition, eight distinguished scholars articulate the clearest statement to date of the conservative vision of community. In contrast to the progressive model of community, which emphasizes secular civil theologies, government, participatory democracy, and utilitarian moralities, the contributors to this volume identify and locate the roots of friendship and common purpose in tradition, intermediate associations, local autonomy, and religious belief. Not only do the contributors renew and refine the conservative understanding of community, but they also express their belief that the liberal version of community needs to be challenged. This volume is essential reading for all political theorists who study the balance between rights and responsibilities within the context of the community.