Founding Fathers And The Birth Of A Nation-State, The

With the 2020 election year readers of all ages, who seek a basic primer to be used as a refresher course in American ideals and formation will find The Founding Fathers and the Birth of a Nation State a solid primer covering the instigation, ideals, and political nature of what constitutes a 'republic'. The basic contention is that political power should originate with the people and flow upward in a reflection of popular interests. It shouldn't originate at the top and move downward, which would indicate a monarchy or dictatorship. Thomas E. Sawyer cements these notions by providing a historical and political survey that includes social, political, and philosophical reflections about the intentions of the Founding Fathers and how these have been translated over the years under different presidencies from early to modern times. Consequently, the practicalities of government have necessitated the combining of this doctrine with other political ideas—the theory of “mixed government,” the idea of “balanced government,” and the concept of “checks and balances” to form the complex constitutional theories that provide the basis of modern Western political systems. This particularly true in the American political experience; where the principle of the “Separation of Powers” constitutes one of the fundamental foundations of good government." These form a solid foundation of argument, identifying the underlying intentions and meaning of the Constitution and the Founding Fathers that leads to astute analysis about their incarnations and challenges today: The Founding Fathers and the Birth of a Nation State is highly recommended as a primer for democratic processes. It's especially valuable and well-documented reading for modern audiences who may have a cursory interest in the subject, but who want deeper explorations of the history and intentions supporting American democratic principles.