Crisis and Innovation

In these lectures six of the most distinguished observers of American government offer their thoughts on the durability of American constitutional democracy. Each scholar presents his views on the topic, concentrating on a distinctive and crucial aspect of it. Sheldon Wolin considers the meaning of constitutional democracy, suggesting that contract theory fails to take into account facts of American history and is thus flawed in explaining American political life. Theodore Lowi exposes the myth of an unbroken democratic experience in America, identifying the five "republics" in American history. Austin Ranney demonstrates how the Founding Fathers' wariness of political parties shaped the Constitution. Henry J. Abraham addresses religion as a constitutional issue, examining the steady erosion of separation between church and state. Samuel P. Huntington discusses foreign policy and argues that the Constitution allowed for ambiguity in the formation of policy and inefficiency in its execution. James MacGregor Burns considers the challenges the American Constitution will face over the next hundred years.