
Foundations of American Political Thought
Readings and Commentary
Cambridge University Press
Published on 13. July 2023
Book
Paperback/Softback
420 pages
978-1-108-73355-7 (ISBN)
Description
American political thought was shaped by a unique combination of theoretical influences: republicanism, liberalism, and covenant theology. This reader shows how these influences came together. Organized chronologically from the Puritans' arrival in the New World to the Civil War, each chapter includes carefully selected primary sources and substantial commentary to explain the historical context and significance of the excerpts. A coherent interpretative framework is offered by focusing the analysis on the different assumptions of the people - the republican understanding as a corporate whole and the liberal understanding as a multitude of individuals - that were intertwined during the founding. The book features, for the first time, two chapters on non-American authors, who capture the main tenets of republicanism and liberalism and were widely quoted in the era, as well as excerpts from lesser-known sources, including Puritan covenants, the first state constitutions, and Native American speeches.
Reviews / Votes
'This valuable anthology connects primary texts of American political thought with key works of the European tradition. By focusing on the liberal, republican, and Puritan sources of the American founding period, Fumurescu and Schoen provide the best introduction I know to the richness and diversity of our enduring national character. This book will be an invaluable instructional text for years to come.' Steven B. Smith, Yale University 'This is a judiciously selected, well organized, and helpfully introduced anthology that should prove a valuable resource for both undergraduate and graduate teaching of the historical foundations of America's civic culture.' Thomas L. Pangle, University of Texas, Austin 'Alin Fumurescu and Anna Marisa Schoen provide an excellent introduction to the foundations of American political thought with this collection of readings and commentary that showcases competing understandings of the American political order and contested notions of American exceptionalism. Beginning with the classical and modern sources of American political thought and concluding with Abraham Lincoln's profound reflections in the crucible of the Civil War, this book is an essential resource for students and scholars alike.' Justin Buckley Dyer, University of MissouriMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
Cambridge
United Kingdom
Target group
College/higher education
Professional and scholarly
Product notice
Paperback (trade)
Illustrations
Worked examples or Exercises
Dimensions
Height: 254 mm
Width: 178 mm
Thickness: 22 mm
Weight
726 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-108-73355-7 (9781108733557)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

Alin Fumurescu | Anna Marisa Schoen
Foundations of American Political Thought
Readings and Commentary
Book
07/2021
Cambridge University Press
€147.50
Shipment within 15-20 days
Persons
Alin Fumurescu is Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of Houston, Texas.
Content
1. Introduction - The People's Two Bodies; 2. Republicanism - The People 'Is'; 3. Liberalism - The People 'Are'; 4. The Puritans - The Bi-Dimensional Covenant; 5. Independence - The Negative Founding; 6. The Positive Founding (I): One People or Several Peoples? 7. The Positive Founding (II) - The People as One and Many; 8. The Whole and the Parties; 9. People That Were Left Behind; 10. The United States 'Is'.