The American Democrat: The Social and Civic Relations of the United States of AmericaTransaction Publishers, 2010 M04 1 - 292 páginas Liberty, like equality, is a word that is more often used than understood. Perfect and absolute liberty is as incompatible with the existence of society, as equality of condition. It is impracticable even in a state of nature, since without the protection of the law, the strong would oppress and enslave the weak. Liberty is merely a state of the social compact that permits the members of a community to lay no more restraints on themselves than are required by their real necessities and obvious interests. To this definition may be added, that it is a requisite of liberty, that the body of a nation should retain the power to modify its institutions, as circumstances shall require. These and other topics are explored in James Fenimore Cooper's "The American Democrat." Cooper argues that the natural disposition of all people is to be able to enjoy perfect freedom of action. It is a common error to suppose that the nation that possesses the mildest laws, or laws that impose the least personal, restraints is the freest. This is indefensible because the power that concedes this freedom of action, can recall it unless it is lodged in the body of the American community itself. Cooper was a fierce democrat and a harsh cultural critic--much like Alexis de Tocqueville. This large print edition will resonate to the issues of this time almost as much as it did when originally published. |
Contenido
ON GOVERNMENT | 1 |
ON REPUBLICS | 8 |
ON THE REPUBLIC OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA | 11 |
ON DISTINCTIVE AMERICAN PRINCIPLES | 22 |
ON THE POWERS OF THE EXECUTIVE | 31 |
ON EQUALITY | 39 |
ON AMERICAN EQUALITY | 42 |
ON LIBERTY | 47 |
ON THE PRESS | 132 |
ON THE LIBERTY OF THE PRESS | 135 |
ON THE AMERICAN PRESS | 137 |
ON PROPERTY | 144 |
ON UNIVERSAL SUFFRAGE | 151 |
ON THE PUBLIC | 156 |
ON DEPORTMENT | 162 |
ON AMERICAN DEPORTMENT | 163 |
ON THE ADVANTAGES OF A MONARCHY | 56 |
ON THE ADVANTAGES OF AN ARISTOCRACY | 57 |
ADVANTAGES OF A DEMOCRACY | 60 |
ON THE DISADVANTAGES OF A MONARCHY | 63 |
ON THE DISADVANTAGES OF ARISTOCRACY | 65 |
ON THE DISADVANTAGES OF DEMOCRACY | 68 |
ON PREJUDICE | 74 |
ON STATION | 78 |
ON THE DUTIES OF STATION | 85 |
ON THE DUTIES OF PUBLIC OR POLITICAL STATION | 86 |
ON THE PRIVATE DUTIES OF STATION | 90 |
AN ARISTOCRAT AND A DEMOCRAT | 98 |
ON DEMAGOGUES | 102 |
ON REPRESENTATION | 109 |
ON CANDOR | 121 |
ON LANGUAGE | 124 |
ON PUBLIC OPINION | 168 |
ON CIVILIZATION | 175 |
ON THE RIGHT OF PETITION | 179 |
ON COMMERCE | 182 |
ON THE CIRCULATING MEDIUM | 186 |
ON SLAVERY | 189 |
ON AMERICAN SLAVERY | 191 |
ON SLAVERY IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA | 194 |
ON PARTY | 196 |
ON INDIVIDUALITY | 200 |
THEY SAY | 202 |
RUMOUR | 203 |
ON RELIGION | 205 |
CONCLUSION | 209 |
ENDNOTES | 213 |