Description
Book SynopsisWhen In Search of the Republic was originally published in 1987, scholarly interpretations of the concept of virtue in the American founding were considered peripheral to mainstream political theory. Since then, the authors'' arguments that public virtue, civic responsibility, and private morality were at the heart of the Founding Fathers'' political thought is now accepted by a growing number of contemporary political theorists. This revised edition includes a new preface that places In Search of the Republic within the context of contemporary debates over the role of virtue and religion in early American political discourse. This is a superb introduction for students and scholars interested in learning about the moral, political, and constitutional theories of the Founding Fathers.
Trade ReviewAn impressive scholarly account of the origins of republican government in shared ideas of moral virtue. . . a compelling argument for the continuing relevance of religious faith to the maintenance of a free society. -- A James Reichley, Senior Fellow; Georgetown University; author of The Life of the Parties
Anyone interested in the intellectual foundations of American politics would be well advised to read this interesting study. -- Isaac Kramnick, Cornell University
A handsome and well-crafted book that treats a neglected aspect of American political thought—the role and importance of public virtue—a concept that animated our founding fathers as much as any other. * CHOICE *
