Founding Era The Powers of Congress, Tyranny, and an Armed Population: Concerns Answered by Mr. Sedgwick, Massachusetts Convention. It was, he said, a chimerical idea to suppose that a country like this could ever be enslaved.
Founding Era A Plot For Monarchy: From the Works of Thomas Jefferson. Delegates in different places had actually had consultations on the subject of seizing on the powers of a government & establishing them by force, had corresponded with one another, and had sent a deputy to Genl. Washington to solicit his co-operation. He calculated too well to join them.
Founding Era Thomas Jefferson & Aaron Burr: An Interesting Anecdote. I . . . should never go into the office of President by capitulation, nor with my hands tied by any conditions which should hinder me from pursing the measures which I should deem for the public good.
Political Philosophy Ideological Unity & Communism: Thoughts by Milovan Djilas Once ideological unity is established, it operates as powerfully as prejudice.
General Interest Conclusions About Josef Stalin: Thoughts by Milovan Djilas "At the time I was still capable of believing that I could be a Communist and remain a free man." --Milovan Djilas
Founding Era Thomas Jefferson on the Construction of History: From "The Anas," 1791--1806. In this excerpt, Jefferson is writing about the notes he would take on “loose scraps of paper” when he served in the Washington administration. He wrote further: These scraps therefore, ragged, rubbed, & scribbled as they were, I had bound with the others by a binder who came into my cabinet,
Miscellaneous Reading and Thinking: Thoughts by Arthur Schopenhauer, 19th Century This post offers some interesting ideas from the German philosopher, Arthur Schopenhauer, about the nexus between reading and thinking. The piece speaks for itself. Enjoy. August Glen-James, editor . . . the surest way of never having any thoughts of your own is to pick up a book every time you have a
General Interest The Demands of the Socialist Parties: Analysis by Igor Shafarevich. For many people, political parties, are an embarrassing malady of society akin to hemorrhoids for a person. But why do political parties even exist? James Madison observed that "As long as the reason of man continues fallible, and he is at liberty to exercise it, different opinions will be formed.
Political Philosophy The Common Threads of Socialism: Thoughts by Igor Shafarevich. Igor Shafarevich (1923-2017) was a gifted Russian mathematician and Soviet dissident. He associated with some notable "trouble makers" in the USSR, like novelist Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn. One of Shafarevich's students, Ilya Piatetski-Shapiro, revealed that the math savant disliked the October Revoloution and had "negative feelings for Communism." Though he felt political
General Interest The Average Man vis-á-vis the Government: Thoughts by H. L. Mencken, 1925. Is government a blessing, a curse, or something in between? It seems that too much or too little government are both fraught with dangers. The subject has engaged some of the great minds of history. For instance, Thomas Paine had the following thoughts: SOME writers have so confounded society with
General Interest Theories of Government: Thoughts by H. L. Mencken, 1922. A consummate critic, H. L. Mencken unpacks what he thinks of monarchy, democracy, and communism in this short but vivid observation. August Glen-James, editor And communism, as the example of Russia already shows, is not a fountain that gushes peace, justice and plenty, but a sewer in which they are
General Interest The Politician: Thoughts by H. L. Mencken, 1940. Mencken's analysis of the politician seems, in the main, to be timeless wisdom, as applicable today as it was when he wrote it. But, the reader can make that judgement. August Glen-James, editor “In politics,” he said, “man must learn to rise above principle.” Then he drove it in with
Political Philosophy Government: Its Inner Nature. Thoughts by H. L. Mencken, 1919 H. L. Mencken had a sharp wit . . . and a sharp pencil. His observations about government will ring a consonant note with most readers, regardless of personal politics. Enjoy! August Glen-James, editor The ideal government of all reflective men, from Aristotle onward, is one which lets the individual alone—one which
General Interest Truth: Thoughts By H. L. Mencken, 1922 In a work entitled, The Critical Process, H.L. Mencken addressed the concept of "truth." It may be a cynical take on the concept, but it gives one something to think about. August Glen-James, editor All that one may safely say of them is that no one, as yet, has
General Interest The Crowd: Thoughts By H. L. Mencken, 1918 Crowd dynamics have interested generations of thinkers. Various Ph.D. types have written articles on the subject; chapters in sociology and psychology books philosophize "deeply" about the topic, but H.L. Mencken stated the facts, as he saw them, in a way that only he could. Enjoy! August Glen-James, editor
General Interest Capitalism: Thoughts by H. L. Mencken, 1935 H. L. Mencken (Sept. 12, 1880--Jan. 29, 1956) was an American journalist from Maryland. His work is characterized by sharp criticism and satirical observations about government, cultural institutions, and powerful people. He was witty, iconoclastic at times, and a master of the English language. His works are always an interesting
Political Philosophy Was Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes a "Liberal"?: Thoughts by H. L. Mencken, 1930. H. L. Mencken (Sept. 12, 1880--Jan. 29, 1956) was an American journalist from Maryland. His work is characterized by sharp criticism and satirical observations about government, cultural institutions, and powerful people. He was witty, iconoclastic at times, and a master of the English language. His works are always an interesting
Classic Civilizations Untaught Bravery v. Skill and Training: Thoughts by Vegetius, c. Late 4th Century C.E. According to Hippolytus, Heraclitus once quipped that "War is the father of all and king of all, and some he shows as gods, others as men; some he makes slaves, others free." That's a lot to think about; however, Roman theorist, Vegetius had some suggestions in his work, The Epitome
Political Philosophy The Socialism of Deschamps: Analysis by Igor Shafarevich Igor Shafarevich (1923-2017) was a gifted Russian mathematician and Soviet dissident. He associated with some notable "trouble makers" in the USSR, like novelist Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn. One of Shafarevich's students, Ilya Piatetski-Shapiro, revealed that the math savant "disliked the October" and had "negative feelings for Communism. Though he felt political heat,
General Interest On the Liberty of Thought and Discussion: John Stuart Mill The title and body of this post speak for themselves. Enjoy! August Glen-James, editor But the peculiar evil of silencing the expression of an opinion is, that it is robbing the human race; posterity as well as the existing generation; those who dissent from the opinion, still more than those
Political Philosophy "The Greatest Dangers of the American Republics Proceed from the Unlimited Power of the Majority" -- Thoughts by Alexis de Tocqueville In this selection, Tocqueville expresses his belief that democratic-republics are liable to perish from a misuse of power rather than by impotence. He also ventured the thought that the American republics are more centralized and more energetic than the monarchies of Europe. Of interest, too, he quotes a couple of
Founding Era Novanglus No. I: The Revolutionary Doctrines of John Adams, 1774 Writing as "Massachusettensis" in the Massachusetts Gazette, Daniel Leonard argued that Parliament had a constitutional right to exercise authority over the American colonies. The denial of this "right" was the central theme of America's revolutionaries; consequently, writing as "Novanglus," John Adams countered "Massachusettensis's" arguments in a series of essays that
Federalist "A Signal Advantage of Taxes on Articles of Consumption." Thoughts by Alexander Hamilton, Federalist No. 21, Dec. 12, 1787. After postulating that the Articles of Confederation committed a “fundamental error” in “principle” by attempting to regulate “the contributions of the States to the common treasury by QUOTAS,” Hamilton opined about the difficulty in determining a “common standard or barometer” by which the degrees of national wealth can be gauged.
Founding Era The Spirit of Liberty Ought to be Jealous: Thoughts by John Adams, 9 & 16 February, 1767 The French and Indian War completely changed the relationship between Great Britain and its American colonies. The era prior to this conflict has been characterized by historians as one of "salutary neglect." Broadly speaking, salutary neglect means that the various revenue laws and acts (e.g., the Navigation Acts) were
Civil War The Difference Between Nullification and Secession: Thoughts by Jefferson Davis, 1881. Nullification and secession were hot-button issues in the 19th century . . . and seemingly still are today. As power in Washington, D.C. oscillates from one party to the other, the elements in the ousted faction often saber rattles about secession and nullification. With this in mind, it may be interesting to
