GREAT THINKERS The Federalist

Major Works

• The Federalist Papers

  - Hamilton, Alexander, James Madison, and John Jay. The Federalist Papers. Edited by Clinton Rossiter and Charles R. Kesler. New York: Signet, 2003.
  Excerpt from Hamilton’s general introduction in Federalist 1: “AFTER an unequivocal experience of the inefficiency of the subsisting federal government, you are called upon to deliberate on a new Constitution for the United States of America. The… More

Commentary

• An Economic Interpretation of the Constitution of the United States

  - Beard, Charles A. An Economic Interpretation of the Constitution of the United States. New York: The Macmillan company, 1935.

• The Authorship of the Disputed Federalist Papers

  - Adair, Douglass. “The Authorship of the Disputed Federalist Papers.” The William and Mary Quarterly 1, no. 2 (April 1, 1944): 98–122.

• The Authorship of the Disputed Federalist Papers: Part II

  - Adair, Douglass. “The Authorship of the Disputed Federalist Papers: Part II.” The William and Mary Quarterly 1, no. 3 (July 1, 1944): 235–264.

• The Tenth Federalist Revisited

  - Adair, Douglass. “The Tenth Federalist Revisited.” The William and Mary Quarterly 8, no. 1 (January 1, 1951): 48–67.

• Seedtime of the Republic: The Origin of the American Tradition of Political Liberty

  - Rossiter, Clinton. Seedtime of the Republic: The Origin of the American Tradition of Political Liberty. New York: Harcourt, Brace, 1953.
  Table of Contents: 1. Colonial Government and the Rise of Liberty, 2. Colonial Religion and the Rise of Liberty, 3. The Colonial Economy and the Rise of Liberty, 4. Colonial Society and the Rise of Liberty, 5. The Colonial Mind and the Rise of Liberty, 6.… More

• The Liberal Tradition in America; An Interpretation of American Political Thought Since the Revolution

  - Hartz, Louis. The Liberal Tradition in America; An Interpretation of American Political Thought Since the Revolution. New York: Harcourt, Brace, 1955.

• The Birth of the Republic, 1763-89

  - Morgan, Edmund S. The Birth of the Republic, 1763-89. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1956.
  In The Birth of the Republic, 1763–89, Edmund S. Morgan shows how the challenge of British taxation started Americans on a search for constitutional principles to protect their freedom, and eventually led to the Revolution. By demonstrating that the… More

• ‘That Politics May Be Reduced to a Science’: David Hume, James Madison, and the Tenth Federalist

  - Adair, Douglass. “‘That Politics May Be Reduced to a Science’: David Hume, James Madison, and the Tenth Federalist.” Huntington Library Quarterly 20, no. 4 (August 1, 1957): 343–360.

• Notes on James Madison’s Sources for the Tenth Federalist Paper

  - Ketcham, Ralph L. “Notes on James Madison’s Sources for the Tenth Federalist Paper.” Midwest Journal of Political Science 1, no. 1 (May 1, 1957): 20–25.

• The Ideological Origins of the American Revolution by Bernard Bailyn

  - Bailyn, Bernard. The Ideological Origins of the American Revolution. Cambridge, MA: Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, 1967. ; Fiftieth Anniversary Edition: Bailyn, Bernard. The Ideological Origins of the American Revolution. 50th Anniversary ed. Cambridge, MA: Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, 2017.
  From the publisher: The Ideological Origins of the American Revolution, awarded both the Pulitzer and the Bancroft prizes, has become a classic of American historical literature. Hailed at its first appearance as “the most brilliant study of the meaning of… More

• The Philosophy of the American Constitution: A Reinterpretation of the Intentions of the Founding Fathers

  - Eidelberg, Paul. The Philosophy of the American Constitution: A Reinterpretation of the Intentions of the Founding Fathers. New York: Free Press, 1968.

• The Creation of the American Republic by Gordon Wood

  - Wood, Gordon S. The Creation of the American Republic, 1776–1787. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1969.

• American Political Thought: The Philosophic Dimension of American Statesmanship

  - Frisch, Morton J., and Richard G. Stevens, editors. American Political Thought: The Philosophic Dimension of American Statesmanship. New York: Scribner, 1971.

• Fame and the Founding Fathers: Essays

  - Adair, Douglass. Fame and the Founding Fathers: Essays. New York: Published for the Institute of Early American History and Culture at Williamsburg, Va., by Norton, 1974.

• A Discourse on Statesmanship: The Design and Transformation of the American Polity

  - Eidelberg, Paul. A Discourse on Statesmanship: The Design and Transformation of the American Polity. Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1974.

• Madison’s Theory of Representation in the Tenth Federalist

  - Morgan, Robert J. “Madison’s Theory of Representation in the Tenth Federalist.” The Journal of Politics 36, no. 4 (November 1, 1974): 852–885.

• Liberty, Virtue, and Republicanism: 1776-1787

  - Agresto, John T. “Liberty, Virtue, and Republicanism: 1776-1787.” The Review of Politics 39, no. 4 (October 1, 1977): 473–504.

• Martin Diamond’s View of ‘The Federalist

  - Riley, Patrick. “Martin Diamond’s View of ‘The Federalist’.” Publius 8, no. 3 (July 1, 1978): 71–101.

• Presidential Selection: Theory and Development

  - Ceaser, James W. Presidential Selection: Theory and Development. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press, 1979.
  Examining the development of the process of presidential selection from the founding of the republic to the present day, James Ceaser contends that many of the major purposes of the selection system as it was formerly understood have been ignored by current… More

• James Madison and the Scottish Enlightenment

  - Branson, Roy. “James Madison and the Scottish Enlightenment.” Journal of the History of Ideas 40, no. 2 (April 1, 1979): 235–250.

• What the Anti-Federalists Were For

  - Storing, Herbert. What the Anti-Federalist Were For, ed. Murray Dry. Chicago: U of Chicago Press, 1981.
  The Anti-Federalists, in Herbert J. Storing’s view, are somewhat paradoxically entitled to be counted among the Founding Fathers and to share in the honor and study devoted to the founding. “If the foundations of the American polity was laid by… More

• The Founding of the Democratic Republic

  - Diamond, Martin. The Founding of the Democratic Republic. Itasca, Ill: F.E. Peacock Publishers, 1981.
  A reprint of four chapters by Martin Diamond from THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC (Diamond, Garfinkel, and Fisk), this book provides a more complete view of our political foundations than can be found in contemporary American government textbooks.

• The Problem of the Public Good in ‘The Federalist’

  - Erler, Edward J. “The Problem of the Public Good in ‘The Federalist’.” Polity 13, no. 4 (July 1, 1981): 649–667.

• The Political Theory of the Federalist

  - Epstein, David F., The Political Theory of the Federalist. Chicago: U of Chicago Press, 1984.
  In The Political Theory of  “The Federalist,” David F. Epstein offers a guide to the fundamental principles of American government as they were understood by the framers of the Constitution. Epstein here demonstrates the remarkable depth and clarity… More

• Novus Ordo Seclorum: The Intellectual Origins of the Constitution

  - McDonald, Forrest. Novus Ordo Seclorum: The Intellectual Origins of the Constitution. Lawrence, Kan: University Press of Kansas, 1985.

• The Moral Foundations of the American Republic

  - Horwitz, Robert H. The Moral Foundations of the American Republic. Charlottesville: University Press of Virginia, 1986.
  A collection of stimulating and groundbreaking essays from the following contributors: Joseph Cropsey * Benjamin R. Barber * Richard Hofstadter * Martin Diamond * Gordon S. Wood * Robert A. Goldwin * Wilson Carey McWilliams * Robert A. Dahl * James Ceaser *… More

• The Federalists and Anti-Federalists on Foreign Affairs

  - Tarcov, Nathan. “The Federalists and Anti-Federalists on Foreign Affairs.” Teaching Political Science 14, no. 1 (1986): 38–45.

• Federalism and the Founding: Toward a Reinterpretation of the Constitutional Convention

  - Zuckert, Michael P. “Federalism and the Founding: Toward a Reinterpretation of the Constitutional Convention.” The Review of Politics 48, no. 2 (April 1, 1986): 166–210.

• Saving the Revolution edited by Charles Kesler

  - Kesler, Charles, editor. Saving the Revolution: The Federalist Papers and the American Founding. New York: Free Press, 1987.
  A group of preeminent political and constitutional scholars, including Edward Banfield and William Kristol, offer fresh perspectives on The Federalist Papers’ ideals, arguments, and enduring effects on American political life.

• The Thinking Revolutionary: Principle and Practice in the New Republic

  - Lerner, Ralph. The Thinking Revolutionary: Principle and Practice in the New Republic. Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 1987.

• 1787: the Grand Convention

  - Rossiter, Clinton. 1787: the Grand Convention. New York: Macmillan, 1966.

• Federalism and the Constitution: The Founders’ Design and Contemporary Constitutional Law

  - Dry, Murray. “Federalism and the Constitution: The Founders’ Design and Contemporary Constitutional Law.” Constitutional Commentary 4 (1987): 233.

• Federalism: Evaluating the Founders’ Design

  - McConnell, Michael W. “Federalism: Evaluating the Founders’ Design.” The University of Chicago Law Review 54, no. 4 (October 1, 1987): 1484–1512.

• The Federalist

  - Yarbrough, Jean. "The Federalist." This Constitution: A Bicentennial Chronicle 16 (1987): 4-9.

• The Federalist

  - Diamond, Martin.  "The Federalist."  History of Political Philosophy (Third Edition).  Edited by Leo Strauss and Joseph Cropsey.  University of Chicago Press, 1987.
  Excerpt: Publius is aware that his scheme involves an enormous reliance on the ceaseless striving after immediate private gains; the commercial life must be made honorable and universally practiced.  Publius counts on a portion of patriotism and wisdom in… More

• The Spirit of Modern Republicanism: The Moral Vision of the American Founders and the Philosophy of Locke

  - Pangle, Thomas L. The Spirit of Modern Republicanism: The Moral Vision of the American Founders and the Philosophy of Locke. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1988.

• The American founding: essays on the formation of the Constitution

  - Barlow, J. Jackson, Leonard Williams Levy, and Ken Masugi. The American founding: essays on the formation of the Constitution. Vol. 205. Greenwood Pub Group, 1988.

• Judicial Review and the Federalist

  - Barber, Sotirios A. “Judicial Review and the Federalist.” University of Chicago Law Review 55 (1988): 836.

• The Last of the Fathers: James Madison and the Republican Legacy

  - McCoy, Drew R. The Last of the Fathers: James Madison and the Republican Legacy. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1989.

• Liberal Democracy and Political Science

  - Ceaser, James W. Liberal Democracy and Political Science. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1990.
  Do political scientists in a liberal democracy bear a special responsibility that goes beyond their academic pursuits? Ceaser, a scholar of American political parties, argues that they do, and he challenges colleagues and students to reexamine what they do as… More

• Federalist and the Bill of Rights, The

  - Baker, John S. Jr. “Federalist and the Bill of Rights, The.” Texas Tech Law Review 21 (1990): 2425.

• Federalist and the Machinery of Government, The

  - Carey, George W. “Federalist and the Machinery of Government, The.” Texas Tech Law Review 21 (1990): 2407.

• Intellectual Background to the American Founding, The

  - Lutz, Donald S. “Intellectual Background to the American Founding, The.” Texas Tech Law Review 21 (1990): 2327.

• James Madison’s Extended Republic

  - Onuf, Peter S. “James Madison’s Extended Republic.” Texas Tech Law Review 21 (1990): 2375.

• Understanding Our Political Heritage Preface to the Federalist Symposium

  - Sanders, Ted. “Understanding Our Political Heritage Preface to the Federalist Symposium.” Texas Tech Law Review 21 (1990): 2315.

• Separated and Balanced Constitution, The

  - Thurow, Glen E. “Separated and Balanced Constitution, The.” Texas Tech Law Review 21 (1990): 2389.

• Introduction: The Federalist – A Symposium

  - Viator, James Etienne. “Introduction: The Federalist - A Symposium.” Texas Tech Law Review 21 (1990): 2317.

• Federalist at 200-What’s It to Us, The

  - Zuckert, Michael P. “Federalist at 200-What’s It to Us, The.” Constitutional Commentary 7 (1990): 97.

• War and Peace in The Federalist

  - Tarcov, Nathan. "War and Peace in The Federalist." Political Science Reviewer1 (1990): 87-106.

• The American Polity: Essays on the Theory and Practice of Constitutional Government

  - Erler, Edward J. The American Polity: Essays on the Theory and Practice of Constitutional Government. New York: C. Russak, 1991.

• The Virtuous Polity, The Accountable Polity: Liberty and Responsibility in The Federalist

  - Zuckert, Michael P. “The Virtuous Polity, The Accountable Polity: Liberty and Responsibility in The Federalist.” Publius: The Journal of Federalism 22, no. 1 (January 1, 1992): 123–142.

• Taming the Prince: The Ambivalence of Modern Executive Power

  - Mansfield, Harvey Claflin. Taming the Prince: The Ambivalence of Modern Executive Power. New York: Free Press, 1989
  This survey of Western political thought ranges from Aristotle to “The Federalist Papers”, showing how the doctrine of executive power arose and how it has developed to the present day. Although there were various “proto-executives”,… More

• The Learning of Liberty: The Educational Ideas of the American Founders

  - Pangle, Lorraine Smith, and Thomas L. Pangle. The Learning of Liberty: The Educational Ideas of the American Founders. Lawrence, KS: University Press of Kansas, 1993.

• Publius and Federalism: On the Use and Abuse of the Federalist in Contitutional Interpretation

  - Ducayet, James W. “Publius and Federalism: On the Use and Abuse of the Federalist in Contitutional Interpretation.” New York University Law Review 68 (1993): 821.

• Federalist Papers: From Practical Politics to High Principle, The

  - Epstein, Richard A. “Federalist Papers: From Practical Politics to High Principle, The.” Harvard Journal of Law & Public Policy 16 (1993): 13.

• The Commercial Republic & the Pluralist Critique of Marxism: An Analysis of Martin Diamond’s Interpretation of ‘Federalist’ 10

  - Gibson, Alan. “The Commercial Republic & the Pluralist Critique of Marxism: An Analysis of Martin Diamond’s Interpretation of ‘Federalist’ 10.” Polity 25, no. 4 (July 1, 1993): 497–528.

• Philosophical Foundations of the Federalist Papers: Nature of Man and Nature of Law

  - Glendon, Mary Ann. “Philosophical Foundations of the Federalist Papers: Nature of Man and Nature of Law.” Harvard Journal of Law & Public Policy 16 (1993): 23.

• The Federalist: Design for a Constitutional Republic

  - Carey, George Wescott. The Federalist: Design for a Constitutional Republic. Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1989.

• Republics Ancient and Modern: Inventions of Prudence: Constituting the American Regime

  - Rahe, Paul Anthony. Republics Ancient and Modern: Inventions of Prudence: Constituting the American Regime. Chapel Hill, N.C.: University of North Carolina Press, 1994.

• The Mild Voice of Reason: Deliberative Democracy and American National Government

  - Bessette, Joseph M. The Mild Voice of Reason: Deliberative Democracy and American National Government. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1994.

• Toward a More Perfect Union: Writings of Herbert Storing

  - Storing, Herbert. Toward a More Perfect Union. Edited by Joseph M. Bessette. Washington, DC: AEI Press, 1995.
  From the editor: In this definitive collection, the writings of Herbert J. Storing have been assembled into six categories: the Founding Fathers and their legacy; race relations in America; rights and the public interest; bureaucracy and big government;… More

• Madison on Sympathy, Virtue, and Ambition in the ‘Federalist Papers’

  - Sorenson, Leonard R. “Madison on Sympathy, Virtue, and Ambition in the ‘Federalist Papers’.” Polity 27, no. 3 (April 1, 1995): 431–446.

• The Natural Rights Republic: Studies in the Foundation of the American Political Tradition

  - Zuckert, Michael P. The Natural Rights Republic: Studies in the Foundation of the American Political Tradition. Notre Dame, IN: University of Notre Dame Press, 1996.
  In The Natural Rights Republic, political theorist Michael Zuckert counters contemporary confusion by offering an insightful study of the concept that dominated the mindset of the founding generation, the natural rights philosophy. Zuckert offers a new… More

• Original Meanings: Politics and Ideas in the Making of the Constitution

  - Rakove, Jack N. Original Meanings: Politics and Ideas in the Making of the Constitution. New York: A.A. Knopf, 1996.

• The Sacred Fire of Liberty: James Madison and the Founding of the Federal Republic

  - Banning, Lance. The Sacred Fire of Liberty: James Madison and the Founding of the Federal Republic. Ithaca, N.Y.: Cornell University Press, 1995.

• The Noblest Minds

  - McNamara, Peter. The Noblest Minds: Fame, Honor, and the American Founding. Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 1999.
  Ever since Douglass Adair convincingly demonstrated that a love of fame was central to the American founding, political scientists and historians have started to view the founders and their acts in a new light. In The Noblest Minds, ten distinguished scholars… More

• Explaining America: The Federalist

  - Wills, Garry. Explaining America: The Federalist. Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, 1981.

• Jaffa versus Mansfield: Does America Have a Constitutional or a ‘Declaration of Independence’ Soul?

  - West, Thomas G. “Jaffa versus Mansfield: Does America Have a Constitutional or a ‘Declaration of Independence’ Soul?” Perspectives on Political Science 31, no. 4 (2002): 235–246.

• The Federalist Papers: A Commentary: “the Baton Rouge Lectures”

  - Allen, W. B., and Kevin A. Cloonan. The Federalist Papers: A Commentary: "the Baton Rouge Lectures". New York: P. Lang, 2000.
  This book tells the story of The Federalist Papers as an accessible approach to the principles of the United States government. When looking at The Federalist Papers or the documents of the Constitutional Convention of 1787, one realizes that the writers of… More

• America’s Constitution: A Biography

  - Amar, Akhil Reed. America's Constitution: A Biography. New York: Random House, 2005.

• Duty Bound: Responsibility and American Public Life

  - Blitz, Mark. Duty Bound: Responsibility and American Public Life. Lanham, Md: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2005.

• Interpreting the Founding: Guide to the Enduring Debates Over the Origins and Foundations of the American Republic

  - Gibson, Alan Ray. Interpreting the Founding: Guide to the Enduring Debates Over the Origins and Foundations of the American Republic. Lawrence, Kan: University Press of Kansas, 2006.

• Understanding the Founding: The Crucial Questions

  - Gibson, Alan Ray. Understanding the Founding: The Crucial Questions. Lawrence, Kan: University Press of Kansas, 2007.

• James Madison and the Spirit of Republican Self-Government

  - Sheehan, Colleen A. James Madison and the Spirit of Republican Self-Government. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2009.
  In the first study that combines an in-depth examination of Madison’s National Gazette essays of 1791-92 with a study of The Federalist, Colleen Sheehan traces the evolution of Madison’s conception of the politics of communication and public… More

• The Discretionary President: The Promise and Peril of Executive Power

  - Kleinerman, Benjamin A. The Discretionary President: The Promise and Peril of Executive Power. Lawrence: University Press of Kansas, 2009.

• As Far as Republican Principles Will Admit: Essays by Martin Diamond

  - Diamond, Martin. As Far as Republican Principles Will Admit: Essays by Martin Diamond. Edited by William Schambra. Washington, DC: AEI Press, 1992.
  Essays by one of the preeminent theorists of the American Founding. Of particular interest to students of the Federalist are essays entitled, “Ethics and Politics: the American Way,” “Democracy and the Federalist: A Reconsideration of the… More

• The Founders’ Key: The Divine and Natural Connection between the Declaration and the Constitution and What We Risk by Losing It

  - Arnn, Larry P. The Founders' Key: The Divine and Natural Connection between the Declaration and the Constitution and What We Risk by Losing It. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2012.

Multimedia

• Thomas L. Pangle on The Federalist Papers

  - Video. Thomas L. Pangle, discusses the Federalist Papers with the George Mason University Law & Economics Center. Time: 1:13

• Role of Government

  - Video. Role of Government Panel Discussion hosted by the New Criterion Magazine, Princeton Club, New York City, November 9, 2010.
  Panelists were Harvey C. Mansfield, WIlliam Kristol and Amity Shlaes, Discussion of the Federalist, Progressive era, and other constitutional issues.

• The Founders’ Key

  - A lecture delivered by Dr. Larry P. Arnn at The Allan P. Kirby, Jr. Center for Constitutional Studies and Citizenship of Hillsdale College.  This lecture took place on December 2, 2011 at The Allan P. Kirby, Jr. Center in Washington D.C.

• The Making of the U.S. Constitution

  - Gordon Wood, The Making of the U.S. Constitution, The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) 12 June 2012.

• Why did Federalists and Anti-Federalists disagree about representation?

  - Gordon Wood, "Why did Federalists and Anti-Federalists disagree about representation?" The Choices Program, 17 Sept. 2012.

• Harvey Mansfield on the Federalist

  - Harvey Mansfield, Conversations with Bill Kristol, September 2, 2014.
  In this segment from Conversations with Bill Kristol, Harvard professor Harvey Mansfield explains the key features of the political science of Federalist.

• James Ceaser on the Constitution and “political” Constitutionalism

  - James Ceaser, Conversations with Bill Kristol, March 2, 2015.
  In this episode of Conversations with Bill Kristol, James W. Ceaser, a professor of politics at the University of Virginia, discusses the Federalist‘s case for “rational reverence” for the Constitution. He also explains why the authors of… More

• James Ceaser on James Madison as the First American Founder

  - James Ceaser, "James Madison as the First American Founder," Conversations with Bill Kristol, March 11, 2019.
  In this Conversation with Bill Kristol, James Ceaser, one of the leading experts on the American Constitution, explains how in 1787 James Madison deliberately encouraged the drafters of the Constitution in Philadelphia and other Americans to conceive of… More

• The Political Lessons of The Federalist

  - David Epstein, "The Political Ideas of The Federalist," Conversations with Bill Kristol, August 12, 2021.
  David Epstein, author of The Political Theory of The Federalist (1984), joins Bill Kristol to discuss why the work remains a model for political reflection. Epstein explains The Federalist‘s position on separation of powers, the nature of passions,… More

• Charles Kesler on How to Think about The Federalist

  - Charles Kesler, "How to Think About The Federalist," Notre Dame Center for Citizenship and Constitutional Government (Online Event), August 27, 2020.
  Charles Kesler, editor of the Signet classic Federalist, shares his perspective on the political science of The Federalist.