Synopses & Reviews
James Madison was a small man whose quiet voice was often drowned by the hubbub of legislative debate, yet his words -- as preserved in his speeches, essays, and letters -- resound across the centuries with an authority unmatched by any historical figure of his generation. Long obscured by the fame of his brilliant friend Thomas Jefferson, Madison has emerged as an intellectual giant in his own right. Americans may turn to Jefferson for inspiration, to Benjamin Franklin for wit and charm, and to George Washington for steadfast courage, but when questions involve the structure and workings of their government, they invariably seek out the wisdom of James Madison.
James Madison's "Advice to My Country" is designed as a ready reference to Madison's thought, including his most perceptive observations on government and human nature. This compendium brings together excerpts from his writings on a variety of political and social issues, ranging from agriculture to free trade, from religion and the state to legislative power, from friendship to fashion, from slavery to unity. Madison is widely cited by politicians, lawyers, and judges because many of the issues he wrote about, such as education, trade. and support for the arts, have contemporary relevance. This selection of short passages will enlighten those pundits who are prone to misquote Madison or enlist him in support of virtually any position in current political debate. With passages cross-referenced to The Papers of James Madison volumes, others will use it as a guide to investigate Madison's views further.
As a representative sample of Madison's writings -- in breadth and depth -- the book will be useful to journalists, politicians, and policymakers, as well as academics, and will make him more accessible to the general reader. Culled from the roughly six thousand known items Madison wrote, these selections provide inspiration, guidance, instruction, and a window into the mind of one of our greatest Founders.
Synopsis
Here is a ready reference to Madison's thought, including hismost perceptive observations on government and human nature. The compendium bringstogether excerpts from his writings on a variety of political and social issues, ranging from agriculture to free trade, from religion and the state to legislativepower, from friendship to fashion, from slavery to unity.
Description
Includes bibliographical references (p. 111-113) and index.