The Political Philosophy of James Madison by Garrett Ward Sheldon

The Political Philosophy of James Madison by Garrett Ward Sheldon

Among the founders, James Madison wielded the greatest influence in drafting the Constitution of 1789. The author offers a concise synthesis of Madison's political philosophy in the context of the social and political history of his day.

Elegant in [its] brevityIn this book Sheldon interweaves Madison's intellectual development with his political career: the one the warp, the one the weft, of his mind... His greatest contribution is to emphasize John Witherspoon's Scottish Presbyterian influence during Madison's undergraduate days at Princeton. The Calvinist doctrine of depravity sits uneasily in the supposedly rationalist world of Revolutionary America, but Madison's recognition of man's sinful nature shaped his political strategy. -- Colin Bonwick Times Literary Supplement Garrett Ward Sheldon argues that James Madison's political beliefs were heavily influenced by his religious beliefs. Sheldon goes so far as to say that Madison's political beliefs cannot be understood at all apart from his theology. To make this argument, Sheldon describes Madison's Calvinist upbringing and education and shows how this background provided the basis for his political ideas throughout his life, from the Revolutionary period through the nullification debates after his presidency... As an account of the link between Madison's religion and his political beliefs, the book is illuminating and persuasive. -- Karen S. Hoffman Presidential Studies Quarterly This book provides a clear, sympathetic summary of the intellectual origins of much of the constitutional structure that continues to frame American political life. Choice [Sheldon] does an excellent job of synthesizing and reconciling recent scholarship on Madison. -- Stuart Leibiger William and Mary Quarterly

Garrett Ward Sheldon is the John Morton Beaty Professor of Political and Social Sciences at the University of Virginia's College at Wise. He is the author of The Political Philosophy of Thomas Jefferson, also available from Johns Hopkins.

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9780801871061
ISBN 10	0801871069
Title	The Political Philosophy of James Madison
Author	Garrett Ward Sheldon
Series	The Political Philosophy Of The American Founders
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Paperback
Publisher	Johns Hopkins University Press
Year published	2003-04-10
Number of pages	160
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.