Brandeis on Democracy by Philippa Strum
Philippa Strum, our foremost authority on Louis Brandeis, gathers together for the first time a sterling selection from his most provocative and profound writings. A kind of "Portable Brandeis," this book provides a concise and readable guide to the thought of a truly great American. Brandeis, the Ralph Nader of the early twentieth century, was known as the "People's Attorney" for his continuous crusades on behalf of the public. He spoke before citizens' groups and legislative bodies, wrote articles for popular magazines, put his ideas about industrial democracy in the briefs he submitted as a lawyer and later in the opinions he wrote as a Supreme Court justice (1916-1938), and advised presidents Woodrow Wilson and Franklin Roosevelt. The problems Brandeis faced and the answers he fashioned could have leaped from today's newspapers: corruption in government, conflicts between majority rule and minority rights, movements to limit free speech and the right to privacy, gender equality, the importance of education, the causes of and possible solutions for poverty, the social costs of excessive political or corporate power, the uneasy relationship between lawyers and the public, efficiency and justice in the workplace, the tension between Federal power and states' autonomy, and the responsibility of citizens to their community. In all his endeavors, Brandeis emphasized both political and economic democracy, citizen participation, and a balance between rights and responsibilities. As leader of the American Zionist movement from 1914 through the 1930s, he dreamed of a democratic Jewish homeland in Palestine founded on Jeffersonian principles. And there were similar echoes of the Founding Fathers in his campaign against the corporate trusts in the United States. These selections from Brandeis's speeches, letters to family and colleagues, newspaper interviews, articles, and judicial opinions offer us the essence of Brandeis's genius and allow us to appreciate the range and relevance of his ideas for America today.
Strum does an excellent job of selecting materials from his speeches, interviews, letters, Supreme Court opinions, and articlesThe result is a first-rate book that deserves a wide audience. Highly recommended." —Choice"A most timely re-presentation that captures the full range and richness of Brandeis's writings in his own compelling words." —James MacGregor Burns, author of The American Experiment and Government by the People
"Philippa Strum puts her considerable skills to an impressive result, crafting a 'Brandeis Reader' that teaches the value of an unflinching commitment to democracy at the same time that it deepens our understanding of majority rights, freedom of expression, and privacy. Every American will benefit from reading—and then re-reading—this book." —Kermit L. Hall, author of The Magic Mirror: Law in American History
"A first rate book, remarkable in every way the right documents, the right order, the right way to introduce them." —David W. Levy, coeditor of Half Brother, Half Son: The Letters of Louis D. Brandeis to Felix Frankfurter
"A super job of selecting and editing. This collection is far superior as representative of Brandeis's thought than any previous work." —Melvin I. Urofsky, author of A History of the American Constitution
"Philippa Strum puts her considerable skills to an impressive result, crafting a 'Brandeis Reader' that teaches the value of an unflinching commitment to democracy at the same time that it deepens our understanding of majority rights, freedom of expression, and privacy. Every American will benefit from reading—and then re-reading—this book." —Kermit L. Hall, author of The Magic Mirror: Law in American History
"A first rate book, remarkable in every way the right documents, the right order, the right way to introduce them." —David W. Levy, coeditor of Half Brother, Half Son: The Letters of Louis D. Brandeis to Felix Frankfurter
"A super job of selecting and editing. This collection is far superior as representative of Brandeis's thought than any previous work." —Melvin I. Urofsky, author of A History of the American Constitution
Strum, Philippa: - Philippa Strum is senior scholar at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, Washington, DC, and professor emerita, City University of New York. Her many books include Louis D. Brandeis: Justice for the People, which was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize in biography, and, from Kansas, Women in the Barracks: The VMI Case and Women's Rights, When the Nazis Came to Skokie: Freedom for the Speech We Hate, Brandeis: Beyond Progressivism, and Mendez v. Westminster: School Desegregation and Mexican-American Rights.
| SKU | Unavailable |
| ISBN 13 | 9780700606795 |
| ISBN 10 | 0700606793 |
| Title | Brandeis on Democracy |
| Author | Philippa Strum |
| Condition | Unavailable |
| Binding Type | Paperback |
| Publisher | University Press of Kansas |
| Year published | 1995-01-31 |
| Number of pages | 240 |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | Unavailable |