As we celebrate America 250, Washington’s Farewell Address is as relevant as ever. The post Washington’s Declaration of Foreign Policy Independence appeared first on The American Conservative .
Foreign Affairs Washington’s Declaration of Foreign Policy Independence As we celebrate America 250, Washington’s Farewell Address is as relevant as ever. The 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence is upon us. And despite the celebratory mood inside the country, much about the world outside our borders seems grim and uncertain. This is particularly true in the Middle East, where, despite laudable efforts at peacemaking, the possibility of renewed war still looms. What makes this situation more frustrating is the fact that our own government has conceded this involvement occurred at the behest of a foreign…Open
The system of the Founders has been sold for the crass comforts of empire. The post The United States Was a Miracle appeared first on The American Conservative .
America The United States Was a Miracle The system of the Founders has been sold for the crass comforts of empire. The Declaration of Independence and Constitution were miracles born of unique political and cultural circumstances unlikely ever to recur. They celebrated and honored separation of powers pitting ambition against ambition—a structural bill of rights to prevent executive branch tyranny. The crown jewel was the exclusive monopoly of the war power by Congress. It has no incentive to declare war except in self-defense against an aggressor that had already broken the peace—unlike the executive. During wartime, the…Open
As we celebrate the semiquincentennial, we should remember who we were. The post America: A Forgotten Idea appeared first on The American Conservative .
America America: A Forgotten Idea As we celebrate the semiquincentennial, we should remember who we were. Twelve score and ten years ago, the 56 signatories to the Declaration of Independence made a break in history. They signed their death warrants on July 4, 1776, to secure unalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, i.e., the opportunity to march to your own drummer without fear of domestic predation or foreign aggression—the summit of civilization. The end of government and civil society was to be justice, making everyone’s station in life correspond to character and accomplishments, simpliciter. Justice…Open
The eminent historian died last week. The post Gordon Wood, the Bard of the American Revolution appeared first on The American Conservative .
Culture Gordon Wood, the Bard of the American Revolution The eminent historian died last week. The preeminent historian of the American Founding, Gordon Wood, died last week as the result of a traffic accident. Wood, a long-time professor at Brown University, had a profound and prolific effect upon the historiography of the American Revolution and the Founding in an academic career spanning six decades. Significantly, he was the first leading historian to emphasize the importance of republican thought and principles, both classical and modern, to 18th-century America, a tradition that later gave way to the totalizing force of equality…Open
Richard Vague’s new book provides an interesting look at the economic history of the early U.S. but fails as a biography. The post Financing the American Revolution appeared first on The American Conservative .
Books Financing the American Revolution Richard Vague’s new book provides an interesting look at the economic history of the early U.S. but fails as a biography. The Banker Who Made America: Thomas Willing and the Rise of the American Financial Aristocracy, 1731–1821 by Richard Vague. Polity. 448 pages Thomas Willing is a name that few people, even those well-versed in the history of the American Revolution, will probably recognize. Those who do will likely associate Willing with only two achievements: voting against American independence as a Pennsylvania delegate to the Continental Congress of 1776, and serving as the head of…Open
The imperatives remain the same, even if the application of the tools must be adjusted. The post The Supreme Court Clarified Tariff Authority, but Did Not Change Economic Reality appeared first on The American Conservative .
Politics The Supreme Court Clarified Tariff Authority, but Did Not Change Economic Reality The imperatives remain the same, even if the application of the tools must be adjusted. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) I recently spoke to steelworkers and auto parts makers in Michigan. These are people who have spent their lives inside America’s industrial economy. Their concerns are not abstract. They want to know one thing: Does America still plan to make the things it needs to be a powerful country? This is the question that trumps all others. The Supreme Court’s recent ruling regarding the use of emergency powers to…Open