Alexis de Tocqueville; one of the greatest commentators on the American political tradition; viewed it through the lens of two related ideas: liberty and equality. These ideas; so eloquently framed by Thomas Jefferson in the Declaration of Independence; have remained inextricably and uniquely conjoined in American political thought: equality is understood as the equal possession of natural rights to life; liberty; and the pursuit of happiness. By considering American reflections on these core ideas over time—in relation to constitutional principles; religion; and race—this volume provides an especially insightful perspective for understanding our political tradition. The book is at once a summary of American history told through ideas and an inquiry into the ideas of liberty and equality through the lens of American history.To a remarkable extent; American politics has always been thoughtful and American thought has always been political. In these pages; we see how some of our greatest minds have grappled with the issues of liberty and equality: Tocqueville and Jefferson; Alexander Hamilton as Publius in The Federalist; James Madison; George Washington; William Lloyd Garrison; Frederick Douglass; Abraham Lincoln debating Stephen Douglas; and Franklin D. Roosevelt. In essays responding to these primary sources; some of today's finest scholars take up topics critical to the American experiment in liberal democracy—political inequality; federalism; the separation of powers; the relationship between religion and politics; the history of slavery and the legacy of racism. Together these essays and sources help to clarify the character; content; and significance of American political thought taken as a whole. They illuminate and continue the conversation that has animated and distinguished the American political tradition from the beginning—and; hopefully; better equip readers to contribute to that conversation.
#1701752 in Books 2009-11-16Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.54 x 1.27 x 6.30l; 1.77 #File Name: 0700616705382 pages
Review
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful. Great New BookBy Cynthia B. WesleyGuantanamo; USA. What a remarkable book! Stephen Schwab has presented a detailed; highly researched; and beautifully written text on the history of Guantanamo Naval Base. From the U.S. involvement in the Spanish-American War to liberate Cuba from Spain through Guantanamo's role in World Wars I and II and the Cold War years; the reader is caught up in the rationale for developing a naval base that would not only show the imperalistic strategy of the U.S.A. but the necessity of securing the best location to house a strong naval fleet protecting the Caribbean; the Panama Canal; and the Americas at large. Many of my generation will only remember the Cuban Missile Crisis of the 60's and the more recent use of the base to house and/or detain refugees and prisoners of war as reasons to justify our Cuban presence. Schwab; however; gives us a far broader and more objective picture of this presence; providing insights and assessments of a relationship that has served both the Cuban and American nations. Mutual benefits have been at times economic; political; and military. It reads well and captures the vital influence of the Roosevelts and other significant statesmen in the evolution of this sole surviving naval base in the Caribbean Sea. All in all; Schwab provides a balanced perspective of an American proprietary view of the base at Guantanamo in contrast to Cuba's mixed response to our presence on their shores for over a century.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Five StarsBy CustomerGood information on a U. S. Naval base.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Five StarsBy Stephen Irving Max SchwabI wrote the book.
