The Political Theory of the American Founding: Natural Rights, Public Policy, an

Description: The Political Theory of the American Founding by Thomas G. West This book provides a complete overview of the American Founders political theory, covering natural rights, natural law, state of nature, social compact, consent, and the policy implications of these ideas. It argues that the foundational documents overwhelmingly point to natural rights as the lens through which all politics is understood. FORMAT Hardcover LANGUAGE English CONDITION Brand New Publisher Description This book provides a complete overview of the American Founders political theory, covering natural rights, natural law, state of nature, social compact, consent, and the policy implications of these ideas. The book is intended as a response to the current scholarly consensus, which holds that the Founders political thought is best understood as an amalgam of liberalism, republicanism, and perhaps other traditions. West argues that, on the contrary, the foundational documents overwhelmingly point to natural rights as the lens through which all politics is understood. The book explores in depth how the Founders supposedly republican policies on citizen character formation do not contradict but instead complement their liberal policies on property and economics. Additionally, the book shows how the Founders embraced other traditions in their politics, such as common law and Protestantism. Author Biography Thomas G. West holds the Paul Ermine Potter and Dawn Tibbets Potter Endowed Professorship at Hillsdale College, Michigan. His research areas include American political thought, natural law and natural right, Aquinas, Hobbes, Locke, and Leo Strauss. Table of Contents Introduction; Part I. The Political Theory of the Founding: An Overview: 1. Equality, natural rights, and the laws of nature; 2. The case against the natural rights founding; 3. Equality and natural rights misunderstood; 4. The founders arguments for equality, natural rights, and natural law; 5. The state of nature; 6. The social compact and consent of the governed; 7. Natural rights and public policy; Part II. The Moral Conditions of Freedom: 8. Why government should support morality; 9. How government supports morality; 10. Sex and marriage in political theory and policy; 11. Cultivating public support for liberty and virtue; 12. What virtues should government promote?; 13. The founders virtues: questions and clarifications; Part III. Property and Economics: 14. The founders understanding of property rights; 15. Private ownership; 16. Free markets; 17. Sound money; 18. The Hamilton–Jefferson quarrel; Conclusion. Justice, nobility, and the politics of natural rights; Index. Review Some claim that the founders were early-modern liberals. Others argue that the founders were primarily exponents of republicanism. Still others claim that the founders bequeathed to us an amalgam of these two strains of thought, together perhaps with still other influences. Wests great ambition with this book, one that he achieves, is to show that in their self-understanding the founders grounded the American regime on natural law and natural rights, and sought to promote virtue, and in particular the virtues necessary to a self-governing people seeking to secure their natural rights. The combination of natural rights and virtue promoted by the founders does not come from two separate streams of thought. Rather, natural rights and virtue are, so to speak, two sides of the same coin. Luigi Bradizza, Voegelinview By reintroducing the moral underpinnings of the founders natural rights republic, Thomas G. West has made an extraordinary contribution to our understanding of American political thought. He shows that the founders republicanism is a part of their liberalism; that duties and rights, properly understood, are not at odds. In doing so, The Political Theory of the American Founding not only helps us better understand Americas principles, it explains why we ought to cherish them and fight to restore them to their rightful place in our political life. Vincent Phillip Muñoz, University of Notre Dame Promotional This book provides a complete overview of the Founders natural rights theory and its policy implications. Review Quote Some claim that the founders were early-modern liberals. Others argue that the founders were primarily exponents of republicanism. Still others claim that the founders bequeathed to us an amalgam of these two strains of thought, together perhaps with still other influences. Wests great ambition with this book, one that he achieves, is to show that in their self-understanding the founders grounded the American regime on natural law and natural rights, and sought to promote virtue, and in particular the virtues necessary to a self-governing people seeking to secure their natural rights. The combination of natural rights and virtue promoted by the founders does not come from two separate streams of thought. Rather, natural rights and virtue are, so to speak, two sides of the same coin. Luigi Bradizza, Voegelinview Promotional "Headline" This book provides a complete overview of the Founders natural rights theory and its policy implications. Description for Bookstore This book provides a complete overview of the American Founders political theory, covering natural rights, natural law, state of nature, social compact, consent, and the policy implications of these ideas. It argues that the foundational documents overwhelmingly point to natural rights as the lens through which all politics is understood. Description for Library This book provides a complete overview of the American Founders political theory, covering natural rights, natural law, state of nature, social compact, consent, and the policy implications of these ideas. It argues that the foundational documents overwhelmingly point to natural rights as the lens through which all politics is understood. Details ISBN110714048X Year 2017 ISBN-10 110714048X ISBN-13 9781107140486 Format Hardcover Author Thomas G. West Publisher Cambridge University Press Imprint Cambridge University Press Subtitle Natural Rights, Public Policy, and the Moral Conditions of Freedom Place of Publication Cambridge Country of Publication United Kingdom DEWEY 320.973 Pages 428 Affiliation Hillsdale College, Michigan Publication Date 2017-04-03 Short Title The Political Theory of the American Founding Language English UK Release Date 2017-04-03 AU Release Date 2017-04-03 NZ Release Date 2017-04-03 Alternative 9781316492840 Audience Tertiary & Higher Education We've got this At The Nile, if you're looking for it, we've got it. With fast shipping, low prices, friendly service and well over a million items - you're bound to find what you want, at a price you'll love! TheNile_Item_ID:168648090;

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