Letter from the Editors
There are again two methods of removing the causes of faction: the one, by destroying the liberty which is essential to its existence; the other, by giving to every citizen the same opinions, the same passions, and the same interests.
It could never be more truly said than of the first remedy, that it was worse than the disease. Liberty is to faction what air is to fire, an aliment without which it instantly expires. But it could not be less folly to abolish liberty, which is essential to political life, because it nourishes faction, than it would be to wish the annihilation of air, which is essential to animal life, because it imparts to fire its destructive agency.
The second expedient is as impracticable as the first would be unwise.
James Madison, Federalist 10
Madison’s Federalist 10 is deeply concerned with disagreement and faction among the colonies. Faction could tear the new nation apart before it was even truly together. But Madison also acknowledged that anything that could be done to force universal agreement would be worse than the problem it was trying to solve. Dissension and disruption are built into the American project, and always have been. Madison’s hope was that a system that was strong enough and flexible enough would endure, regardless.
This month’s pair of lead essays both focus on dissension and disruption. Glenn Moots considers the Declaration as a formal declaration of war rather than, or in addition to, a declaration of independence. Jacob Levy looks at the ways in which current political disruptions may arise from the founding principles contained in the Declaration. Both essays serve to remind readers of the conflicts that underlie and were inspired by the radical acts that took place 250 years ago. Will Hay’s reflection on selections from the Jack Greene pamphlet collection considers some works by British pamphleteers desperately trying to calm some of this discord and keep the colonies attached to England.
This Month's Further Reading and Listening
After the disruptions discussed in our two lead essays, enjoy the harmony of a performance Longfellows’ “Concord Hymn.” We also offer a pair of intriguing podcasts and a review of Jane Calvert’s Penman of the Founding, as well as a link to our ever-growing collection of important pamphlets from the Revolutionary Era.
Countdown to the Declaration
New material every month as we explore the Declaration's past, present, and future.
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month to go
Liberty v. Tyranny
A River Fed By Many Streams
There is a long tradition of debating the right to resistance: What aspects of that tradition were most influential in forming the Declaration mindset?
Education
Citizenship, Seminars, and the Declaration of Independence
What kind of education is necessary for a citizenry that takes the Declaration seriously?
Law & Constitutionalism
The Declaration of Independence and the American Theory of Government
Does the Declaration offer us any permanent guidance in thinking constitutionally?
Equality
Anything But Compromising
Writing a Declaration that could secure support required compromises and negotiations: How did these compromises chart the course of, or delay the recognition of equality for coming generations?
Political Institutions
Republican Government after the Digital Revolution
Does technology fundamentally alter the basis for representative government? Does it give us cause to reconsider the principles of the Declaration?
Philosophy & Theology
Against Authority
How important are religious and Enlightenment ideas to the concepts in the Declaration? Are these influences necessarily in conflict?
Political Economy
Economic Wisdom for Tumultuous Times
Why do we find ourselves refighting the same debates between open markets and mercantilism that preoccupied the 18th century?
Education
Educational Experience and the Challenge to Empire
What in the Founders’ education prepared them to be able to craft the Declaration? To what degree did it challenge the ideals of empire?
Liberty and Tyranny
Conditions of Revolution: Sic Sometimes Tyrannis
What sustains liberty? Does the Declaration offer a model for future political resistance to tyrants?
War & Peace
Declaring War—and Loyalty
The Declaration did not just declare American independence, but implicitly declared war on England. What happens to the voices of loyalists in the shadow of the revolution?
Law & Constitutionalism
Constitutional Tourism: Australia’s America
What is the constitutional importance of the Declaration of Independence?
Philosophy and Theology
Men Will Be Men: Religious and Enlightenment Ideas in the Declaration
Shifts in our prevailing philosophies and theologies seem to make the Declaration’s ideals little more than a pleasant fiction. Is the Declaration's ideal of lasting importance for religious and philosophical thinkers?
War & Peace
War: The Dreaded Enemy of Liberty
The American Revolution and subsequent constitution of the newly-formed United States reflected some of the key ideas of liberalism—natural rights, government by consent, and limits on state power. Can war be contained by liberal ideals?
Education
Reviving Civic Education through Conversation
Education is increasingly technological and individualized. Can this be conducive to producing citizens who share a common set of political ideals?
Law & Constitutionalism
On the Law of the Declaration of Independence
How did the multi-stranded Western legal tradition help frame the Declaration?
Liberty & Tyranny
Holding Ourselves Accountable: What the Declaration Says About Just Conduct of Governments
The Declaration sets out standards for the just conduct of government: To what degree are these still relevant to American politics today?
Equality
Are We Self-Evidently Equal?
Lincoln warned that when a free people renounced their “ancient faith” in human equality, they destroyed the moral core of self-government.
Political Economy
America the Market
Both the Declaration and Adam Smith’s Wealth of Nations were published in 1776. Do these works share similar preoccupations and concerns?
Philosophy/ Theology
What Begins Where the Declaration Ends?
Modern Americans live with a kind of religious and cultural diversity that the Founders would have a hard time imagining. Does the Declaration offer us the tools to help navigate these differences and dissensions?
Equality
The Declaration’s Elusive Promise
Contemporary debates over the Declaration and America’s founding suggest that the Declaration enshrines inequality at the core of our public life. How do the political compromises that were necessary to agree on the Declaration continue to haunt us?
Political Institutions
The Enduring Message (and Mystery) of the American Creed
How did the Declaration seek to vindicate the political rights of the colonists?
Political Economy
Taxation Without Consent: An Enduring American Grievance?
Many of the colonists’ complaints centered on unjust taxation. To what extent do those complaints continue to be relevant today?
Political Institutions
Individual Liberty and the American System
Has the model of representative government embraced by the Founders stood the test of time? Is it a dead hand holding us back or the backbone of our liberty?
War & Peace
Dissension, Destruction, and War
Does the Declaration offer a practical framework for future decisions regarding just war?
Find the full list of months, including archived and upcoming themes, on our Countdown page.
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Liberty Fund offers a rich set of educational programs. These include Socratic-style conferences, thought-provoking books, and engaging online resources focused on the understanding and appreciation of the complex nature of a free and responsible society.