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A review by seshat59
The Federalist Papers by Alexander Hamilton, David Wootton, James Madison, John Jay
4.0
The Federalist Papers are the essential source for those students of civics and history who wish for a better understanding of the purpose and intended function of the American Constitution. Being inside the minds of these three founding fathers and lawyers is insightful, amusing (in Hamilton's case particularly, in witnessing his condescension and using his papers as a source of delightful vitriol), and at times tedious. (Again, I'm looking at you, Hamilton, and your essays on commerce and that abysmally long discourse on trial by jury. Verbosity is indeed your strength.)
For dilettantes and enthusiasts of this subject matter: certain papers are exceedingly insightful. It's difficult for the modern American to imagine living in a time where North Carolina was as sovereign an entity as Mexico is to us today.
For teachers, there's no better source in helping to understand the purpose of our constitution in order to instruct our students. As a civics teacher, this was exceedingly helpful as a source. Forget secondary sources. It was a refreshing reminder to myself (that I haven't had since college) that the richest source of information is always the original. Trite, but true.
For realists, there's no better source for the fallacy of how our government operates today compared to what our forefathers intended. It becomes obvious that our republic is truly outdated, and while it was a brilliant gamble of enlightenment theory put into practice, it functioned ideally within its natural, historical context. In the 21st Century, many of Madison's and Hamilton's assertions of what must be true -- based on their flawed logic with little actual evidence [A leads to B which must conclude with D] -- and what good men and a responsible electorate will allow is laughable, and I did indeed laugh out loud at their castle on a cloud ideals as much as Hamilton's vituperative pen. Our country would never fall to faction. HA. The Electoral College will be used to root out corruption. HA.
Read this to remember and understand the intentions for an 18th Century Republic. Read this and question how that republic should continue to function in the 21st.
For dilettantes and enthusiasts of this subject matter: certain papers are exceedingly insightful. It's difficult for the modern American to imagine living in a time where North Carolina was as sovereign an entity as Mexico is to us today.
For teachers, there's no better source in helping to understand the purpose of our constitution in order to instruct our students. As a civics teacher, this was exceedingly helpful as a source. Forget secondary sources. It was a refreshing reminder to myself (that I haven't had since college) that the richest source of information is always the original. Trite, but true.
For realists, there's no better source for the fallacy of how our government operates today compared to what our forefathers intended. It becomes obvious that our republic is truly outdated, and while it was a brilliant gamble of enlightenment theory put into practice, it functioned ideally within its natural, historical context. In the 21st Century, many of Madison's and Hamilton's assertions of what must be true -- based on their flawed logic with little actual evidence [A leads to B which must conclude with D] -- and what good men and a responsible electorate will allow is laughable, and I did indeed laugh out loud at their castle on a cloud ideals as much as Hamilton's vituperative pen. Our country would never fall to faction. HA. The Electoral College will be used to root out corruption. HA.
Read this to remember and understand the intentions for an 18th Century Republic. Read this and question how that republic should continue to function in the 21st.