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15th out of 17 books
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10 voters
The Federalist Papers
"This country and this people seem to have been made for each other, and it appears as if it was the design of Providence, that an inheritance so proper and convenient for a band of brethren ... should never be split into a number of unsocial, jealous, and alien sovereignties." So wrote John Jay, one of the revolutionary authors of The Federalist Papers, arguing that if th...more
Paperback, 528 pages
Published
November 3rd 1987
by Penguin Classics
(first published January 1st 1937)
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With all the talk in political discourse these days about "what the US Founding Fathers intended", I felt it was time to go straight to the source. If you've ever had similar thoughts, this is the place to start. This work is long - around 22 hours of Librivox audio - and written in archaic, ornate English. But anyone reading it will be immediately impressed by its scholarship and depth. It also gives a clear picture of what said Founding Fathers were up against - unbridled, often unprincipled,...more
Read the Federalist Papers. Then, just for kicks, switch on Hannity & Colmes, or Crossfire, or read USA Today... and then ask yourself, WHAT THE FUCKING CHRIST HAPPENED TO THIS COUNTRY? Then crawl into a corner and whimper for eight hours straight. (That's what I did.)
It's hard to rate a book like this. On the one hand, it's one of the foundational writings of American history; on the other hand, it's boring. Much of it is, anyway. Reading it seemed like such a good idea when I first picked it up at Barnes & Noble two or three years ago. I still think it's a book every American should read. I'm just glad I'm finished.
I was encouraged by what emerged as the worldview of these authors, as in this excerpt from Federalist 37, written by James Madison, as he r...more
I was encouraged by what emerged as the worldview of these authors, as in this excerpt from Federalist 37, written by James Madison, as he r...more
Aug 31, 2007
Greg
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Someone willing to give it the time it merits
First, I'm going to begin with a bitch.
THIS "BOOK" WAS NOT WRITTEN BY ALEXANDER HAMILTON. IT IS NOT A BOOK. IT IS A COMPILATION OF SEVERAL ESSAYS WRITTEN UNDER THE PSEUDONYM "PUBLIUS" AND THE AUTHOR(S) WERE ANONYMOUS FOR A LONG TIME.
The true authorship of these was only known several years after the fact. And took several decades after the authors had been determined to finalize exactly who wrote what.
Furthermore, virtually ever copy includes at least a copy of the Bill of Rights, Declaration o...more
THIS "BOOK" WAS NOT WRITTEN BY ALEXANDER HAMILTON. IT IS NOT A BOOK. IT IS A COMPILATION OF SEVERAL ESSAYS WRITTEN UNDER THE PSEUDONYM "PUBLIUS" AND THE AUTHOR(S) WERE ANONYMOUS FOR A LONG TIME.
The true authorship of these was only known several years after the fact. And took several decades after the authors had been determined to finalize exactly who wrote what.
Furthermore, virtually ever copy includes at least a copy of the Bill of Rights, Declaration o...more
I don't know who's a bigger jackass: me, for never having so much as peeped at these, or the grownps at all the various schools I've attended, for not even once suggesting I should.
Actually, that's a lie. I totally do know.
Actually, that's a lie. I totally do know.
Feb 27, 2011
Ally
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
history-politics,
favorites
Praise God I'm an American. One should not be able to graduate public high schools without mastery of Basic Economics & The Federalist Papers.
This is a must read for any American. It will make you think and ponder about the complexities that our Founding Fathers had to address when forming our government. Too many people today comment on what should change in our government structure not appreciating the immaculate architecture the Founders put in place. The government of the USA is one of the greatest achievements in mankind’s history. Not something to be tampered with lightly. This book should have a class all to itself in High Scho...more
During South by Southwest 2003, I saw a movie called The Revolution Will Not Be Televised. The movie is about President Chavez in Venezuela and the failed coup attempt on his presidency. In the background coverage of his presidency, the filmmakers recounted how as President, he encouraged his citizens to read their brand new constitution and learn it. They interviewed some Venezuelans who did not know to read, but had learned to read by reading their constitution.[return][return]I was touched by...more
I felt the writing of the so-called "federalists" compared to the even more misleadingly named "anti-federalists" was more consistent and clear. In particular, James Madison was a talented writer.
But the collection of papers is not so strong as they seem at first. The weakest arguments are disproportionately found at the end of the book (for example, the arguments against a more expansive trial by jury, or against the necessity of a bill of rights, or against concerns that a large country alien...more
But the collection of papers is not so strong as they seem at first. The weakest arguments are disproportionately found at the end of the book (for example, the arguments against a more expansive trial by jury, or against the necessity of a bill of rights, or against concerns that a large country alien...more
Shameful that I hadn't marked this as read yet. Attached are some thoughts copied from my notes, some of which are not entirely relevant, but still.
Post-Revolution, the colonies experimented with Articles of Confederation. Flawed, replaced by modern Constitution.
History of Republics as derived from ancient Greece, then Rome -> England. Rome became Tyranny, although Republic was lauded as mixed government between Aristocracy, Monarchy, and Democracy. Same with England after the Glorious Revol...more
Post-Revolution, the colonies experimented with Articles of Confederation. Flawed, replaced by modern Constitution.
History of Republics as derived from ancient Greece, then Rome -> England. Rome became Tyranny, although Republic was lauded as mixed government between Aristocracy, Monarchy, and Democracy. Same with England after the Glorious Revol...more
Mar 17, 2012
Jeff Walden
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommended to Jeff by:
Justice Antonin Scalia
If you want to understand the Constitution, you should read the Federalist Papers. They present, at great length, the rationale for discarding the Articles of Confederation and adopting the Constitution. You really can't claim to understand the Constitution, how it works, how it fits together, and how it was intended to fit together without reading these articles. (I picked this up on the recommendation of Justice Scalia, and he was absolutely right about this being a must-read to understand the...more
Don't let the 3 star rating mislead you. This is a brilliant summation of the Constitution by three of the smartest Founding Fathers: Alexander Hamilton (first Secretary of the Treasury), James Madison (Father of the Constitution and fourth President of the U.S.), and John Jay (first Chief Justice of the Supreme Court). It is such a shame that there are so few political geniuses in government today. The breadth of their knowledge, particularly Madison's, boggles the mind. Except for the fact tha...more
I’ve not yet read all 82 papers in this collection, but I’m almost there! These papers were written and published in several New York newspapers between 1787 and 1789, during a period of intense debate between the writing of the U.S. Constitution and its ratification. The Federalists were in favor of ratification, while the Anti-Federalists — led by Thomas Jefferson — opposed it, largely on the grounds that it did not originally contain a Bill of Rights. These are difficult reading, but worth th...more
SHORT VERSION OF REVIEW - If you want to cut through the bullshit you hear all day long from the media, from pundits, and all the other blowhards who say "blah blah blah" and really know what it was that the Founding Fathers "meant" when they wrote the Constitution, as well as gain a deeper understanding and overview of why the government does the things it does sometimes, read. This. Book. It will also, hopefully, give you a much more in-depth appreciation of how great our government is, despit...more
Honestly you cannot really rate a classic paper such as this.
I am not sure why it says that The Federalist Papers were written by Alexander Hamilton when in fact it was written by Alexander Hamilton, John Jay and James Madison; note there could be other authors as it was published as "PUBLIUS". At any rate the papers were written in published to persuade voters in NY to ratify the constitution. In total there are 85 essays which outline how government should operate and why.
I think this is a ve...more
I am not sure why it says that The Federalist Papers were written by Alexander Hamilton when in fact it was written by Alexander Hamilton, John Jay and James Madison; note there could be other authors as it was published as "PUBLIUS". At any rate the papers were written in published to persuade voters in NY to ratify the constitution. In total there are 85 essays which outline how government should operate and why.
I think this is a ve...more
I think a lot of this is going to seem really obvious if you're an American who payed even a little bit of attention in your high school civics class, it's in the federalist papers that you really get the meat of the arguements for the structure and function of the Constitution. I guess I found it hard to get anything really new out of these, but that's probably because things like "checks and balances," " bi-cameral legislature," and "no ex-post facto" are already such well worn pieces of Ameri...more
The Federalist is somewhat dry and pompous but what can you expect from politicians. Also I have noticed that the founding fathers were not perfect and I am now wondering if the colonists were not propagandized into Union.
I really don't like Alexander Hamilton's writing style. It is some of the dryest and most boring stuff I have ever read.
I really don't like Alexander Hamilton's writing style. It is some of the dryest and most boring stuff I have ever read.
I loved seeing the reasoning behind the various clauses in the Constitution. It took the Constitution to a deeper personable level. I also learned that I do not much care for Hamilton, the father of our Constitution. He was an elitist/aristocrat who repeated made statements about the common folks not needing to know or understand such and such. I found it infuriating! How can there be a "we the people" if most of the people do not believe or understand what he is talking about? And if most of th...more
This is considered one of (if not the) authority on the U.S. Constitution. It lays out several arguments for the Constitution which was at the time set to replace the Articles of Confederation. Some people have told me that these essays argue for a large federal government, and on that I have to disagree. What is being argued for in these is a strong union, that is ultimately controlled by the people.
The argument is quite simple, a strong union with a central government can provide for the commo...more
The argument is quite simple, a strong union with a central government can provide for the commo...more
Apr 23, 2010
Patrice
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
everyone
Recommended to Patrice by:
professor
That I have not read this book before, that most of the people I know, including several lawyers, have never read the entire book, is an educational crime. I think it should be required reading in every high school.
It is also very current. The issue of how strong a central government the US should have is still being debated daily. After reading this I think I come down a little on the side of the anti-federalists! I was surprised. But their worst predictions have come true. The federal governme...more
It is also very current. The issue of how strong a central government the US should have is still being debated daily. After reading this I think I come down a little on the side of the anti-federalists! I was surprised. But their worst predictions have come true. The federal governme...more
When I read this back in the 90's I confess my motives weren't of the noble or patriotic in any fashion. I'd read an article by a then prominent columnist who said that "a person couldn't consider themselves well educated unelss they''d read The Federalist Papers." Well I was young,arrogant and vain(not much has changed but the young part)and I wanted to be seen as well educated so I bought a copy and began to read. It's not easy read,and more than once I thought about giving up and picking up a...more
Nov 23, 2008
Jared
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
non-fiction,
political-thought
Essential commentary on the U.S. federal Constitution by some of the Founding Fathers (Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay). There was substantial argument around the founding of the federal government regarding how much power the national government should have, or how much power should be reserved to the states and the people. These three men (particularly Hamilton, who wrote most of the papers) argued for a federal government with substantial power, at least compared with many of...more
I did not read this collection until law school, but I have often thought that it should be required reading for every American. Quite simply, these papers are the alpha and omega to understanding the Constitution of the United States.
Mar 01, 2013
Ckmom
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Everyone
Recommended to Ckmom by:
Professor Williams
Shelves:
must-read-again
This was required reading for my Constitutional Law class in Law School. I don't know why I never read it before then, in fact I don't know why I never even knew about it until then. This is something that should be required reading at least in high school social studies or history class. I should read this again. I have been so immersed in work and other readings that I should go back to this once in awhile.
It is a difficult read, but when I read it and started to understand it, I felt like it...more
It is a difficult read, but when I read it and started to understand it, I felt like it...more
Written by the real fore fathers of politics in this country, it teachers a serious lesson about the structure of this government. Might take some time to absorb but it's a worth having on the shelf.
I have a love hate relation ship with this book.It is one of the seminal works in the history of government yet i still haven't read every essay. This stuff is incredibly dry and long winded. That is not to say that i found it uninteresting be cause when i finish an essay i am in awe of the passion for, and knowledge of, political theory that these great men had. Hell they came up with much of the theory for democratic government that we use today (admittedly they are standing on the shoulders...more
This brilliant work outlines the thought process behind the founding of the USA. There were so many complex issues that went into our representative democracy. This collection makes the founding members seem more human as they grapple with the seperation of powers, of church and state, the very nature of humanity is disected to come up with a democratic republic not dictated by the mob or the few. Fascinating not just for the sake of history but an illustration of how the the founders used histo...more
If I'm being honest, I only made it halfway through and I may just keep it on my shelf for reference. It's a hard read for those of you with a high-school reading level. In fact, the reason it doesn't get five stars is my own fault. (and that of the English language, which changes over time) Topically, it is very rich. Hamilton, Madison and Jay put forth very carefully considered ideas during the dawn of this experiment in liberty. The ideas are well-balanced enough to make conservatives and lib...more
Apr 02, 2009
Erik Graff
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
US citizens
Recommended to Erik by:
Mr. Faulhaber
Shelves:
political-social-science
The Federalist Papers, this very edition, were required reading for the U.S. History and Government course mandated for all students during their junior year at Maine Twp. H.S. South in Park Ridge, Illinois, along with such documents as The Declaration of Independence, The Articles of Confederation, The Constitution of the United States of America, etc. The Constitution had, of course, also been required in junior high school along with that of the State of Illinois, but I much preferred the lev...more
The Federalist Papers has been called the most important work on political theory ever. And it's an important defense of the structure and thought behind our Constitution. I think it should be required reading for anyone interested in statesmanship, most importantly those actually holding office at any level. That doesn't change the fact that they were a painful read for several reasons.
1 The Federalist Papers, so the story goes, were a series of articles written to the average American and pub...more
1 The Federalist Papers, so the story goes, were a series of articles written to the average American and pub...more
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The History Book ...: * FEDERALIST. NO 35 - 04/26/12 - 05/06/12 | 24 | 93 | Mar 23, 2013 05:20pm | |
| The History Book ...: * FEDERALIST. NO 34 - 02/20/12 - 02/26/12 | 30 | 31 | Apr 26, 2012 06:44am | |
| The History Book ...: * FEDERALIST. NO 33 - 02/13/12 - 02/19/12 | 42 | 16 | Feb 19, 2012 07:44pm | |
| The History Book ...: * FEDERALIST. NO 32 - 02/06/12 - 02/12/12 | 34 | 15 | Feb 17, 2012 05:56pm | |
| The History Book ...: THE FEDERALIST PAPERS SYLLABUS | 14 | 238 | Jan 04, 2012 09:38am | |
| Socratic Seminar | 1 | 11 | Dec 05, 2011 11:13am | |
| Democracy | 1 | 7 | Nov 22, 2011 03:12pm |
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
Alexander Hamilton (January 11, 1755 or 1757 – July 12, 1804) was the first United States Secretary of the Treasury, a Founding Father, economist, and political philosopher. He led calls for the Philadelphia Convention, was one of America's first Constitutional lawyers, an...more
More about Alexander Hamilton...
Alexander Hamilton (January 11, 1755 or 1757 – July 12, 1804) was the first United States Secretary of the Treasury, a Founding Father, economist, and political philosopher. He led calls for the Philadelphia Convention, was one of America's first Constitutional lawyers, an...more
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“If men were angels, no government would be necessary. If angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls on government would be necessary. In framing a government which is to be administered by men over men, the great difficulty lies in this: you must first enable the government to control the governed; and in the next place oblige it to control itself. A dependence on the people is, no doubt, the primary control on the government; but experience has taught mankind the necessity of auxiliary precautions.”
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61 people liked it
“The accumulation of all powers, legislative, executive, and judiciary, in the same hands, whether of one, a few, or many, and whether hereditary, selfappointed, or elective, may justly be pronounced the very definition of tyranny.”
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33 people liked it
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Jul 15, 2012 07:23pm