An Economic Interpretation of the Constitution of the United States

An Economic Interpretation of the Constitution of the United States

Author: Charles A. Beard

Publisher: Courier Corporation

Published: 2012-03-08

Total Pages: 336

ISBN-13: 0486140458

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This classic study — one of the most influential in the area of American economic history — questioned the founding fathers' motivations and prompted new perceptions of the supreme law of the land.


Book Synopsis An Economic Interpretation of the Constitution of the United States by : Charles A. Beard

Download or read book An Economic Interpretation of the Constitution of the United States written by Charles A. Beard and published by Courier Corporation. This book was released on 2012-03-08 with total page 336 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This classic study — one of the most influential in the area of American economic history — questioned the founding fathers' motivations and prompted new perceptions of the supreme law of the land.


An Economic Interpretation of the Constitution of the United States

An Economic Interpretation of the Constitution of the United States

Author: Charles Austin Beard

Publisher:

Published: 1913

Total Pages: 356

ISBN-13:

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Book Synopsis An Economic Interpretation of the Constitution of the United States by : Charles Austin Beard

Download or read book An Economic Interpretation of the Constitution of the United States written by Charles Austin Beard and published by . This book was released on 1913 with total page 356 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:


An Economic Interpretation of the Constitution of the United States

An Economic Interpretation of the Constitution of the United States

Author: Charles Beard

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2017-09-08

Total Pages: 364

ISBN-13: 1351321145

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In his piercing introduction to An Economic Interpretation the author wrote that 'whoever leaves economic pressures out of history or out of discussion of public questions is in mortal peril of substituting mythology for reality.' It was Beard's view that the founding fathers, especially Madison, Jay, and Hamilton, never made such a miscalculation. Indeed, these statesmen placed themselves among the great practitioners of all ages and gave instructions to succeeding generations in the art of government by their vigorous deployment of classical political economy.In this new printing of a major classic in American historiography, Louis Filler provides a sense of the person behind the book, the background that enabled Beard to move well beyond the shibboleths of the second decade of the twentieth century. While the controversies over Beard's book have quieted, the issues which it raised have hardly abated. Indeed, one can say that just about every major work in the politics and economics of the American nation must contend with Beard's classic work. Beard's work rests on an examination of primary documents: land and slave owners, geographic distribution of money, ownership of public securities, the specific condition of those who were disenfranchised as well as those who were in charge of the nascent American economy.The great merit of Beard's work is that despite its incendiary potential, he himself viewed An Economic Interpretation in coldly analytical terms, seeing such a position as giving comfort to neither revolutionaries nor reactionaries. Attacked by Marxists for being too mechanical, and by conservatives as being blind to the moral purposes of the framers of the constitution, the work continues to exercise a tremendous influence on all concerned. The fact that Beard wrote with a scalpel-like precision that gripped the attention of those in power no less than the common man is, it should be added, no small element in the enduring forces of this work.


Book Synopsis An Economic Interpretation of the Constitution of the United States by : Charles Beard

Download or read book An Economic Interpretation of the Constitution of the United States written by Charles Beard and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2017-09-08 with total page 364 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In his piercing introduction to An Economic Interpretation the author wrote that 'whoever leaves economic pressures out of history or out of discussion of public questions is in mortal peril of substituting mythology for reality.' It was Beard's view that the founding fathers, especially Madison, Jay, and Hamilton, never made such a miscalculation. Indeed, these statesmen placed themselves among the great practitioners of all ages and gave instructions to succeeding generations in the art of government by their vigorous deployment of classical political economy.In this new printing of a major classic in American historiography, Louis Filler provides a sense of the person behind the book, the background that enabled Beard to move well beyond the shibboleths of the second decade of the twentieth century. While the controversies over Beard's book have quieted, the issues which it raised have hardly abated. Indeed, one can say that just about every major work in the politics and economics of the American nation must contend with Beard's classic work. Beard's work rests on an examination of primary documents: land and slave owners, geographic distribution of money, ownership of public securities, the specific condition of those who were disenfranchised as well as those who were in charge of the nascent American economy.The great merit of Beard's work is that despite its incendiary potential, he himself viewed An Economic Interpretation in coldly analytical terms, seeing such a position as giving comfort to neither revolutionaries nor reactionaries. Attacked by Marxists for being too mechanical, and by conservatives as being blind to the moral purposes of the framers of the constitution, the work continues to exercise a tremendous influence on all concerned. The fact that Beard wrote with a scalpel-like precision that gripped the attention of those in power no less than the common man is, it should be added, no small element in the enduring forces of this work.


An Economic Interpretation of the Constitution of the United States

An Economic Interpretation of the Constitution of the United States

Author: Charles Austin Beard

Publisher:

Published: 1913

Total Pages: 360

ISBN-13:

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Book Synopsis An Economic Interpretation of the Constitution of the United States by : Charles Austin Beard

Download or read book An Economic Interpretation of the Constitution of the United States written by Charles Austin Beard and published by . This book was released on 1913 with total page 360 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:


An Economic Interpretation of the Constitution of the United States

An Economic Interpretation of the Constitution of the United States

Author: Charles Austin Beard

Publisher:

Published: 1968

Total Pages: 330

ISBN-13:

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Book Synopsis An Economic Interpretation of the Constitution of the United States by : Charles Austin Beard

Download or read book An Economic Interpretation of the Constitution of the United States written by Charles Austin Beard and published by . This book was released on 1968 with total page 330 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:


An Economic Interpretation of the Constitution of the United States

An Economic Interpretation of the Constitution of the United States

Author: Charles Austin Beard

Publisher: Theclassics.Us

Published: 2013-09

Total Pages: 102

ISBN-13: 9781230283418

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This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1921 edition. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER V THE ECONOMIC INTERESTS OF THE MEMBERS OF THE CONVENTION Having shown that four groups of property rights were adversely affected by the government under the Articles of Confederation, and that economic motives were behind the movement for a reconstruction of the system, it is now necessary to inquire whether the members of the Convention which drafted the Constitution represented in their own property affiliations any or all of these groups. In other words, did the men who formulated the fundamental law of the land possess the kinds of property which were immediately and directly increased in value or made more secure by the results of their labors at Philadelphia? Did they have money at interest? Did they own public securities? Did they hold western lands for appreciation? Were they interested in shipping and manufactures? The purpose of such an inquiry is not, of course, to show that the Constitution was made for the personal benefit of the members of the Convention. Far from it. Neither is it of any moment to discover how many hundred thousand dollars accrued to them as a result of the foundation of the new government. The only point here considered is: Did they represent distinct groups whose economic interests they understood and felt in concrete, definite form through their own personal experience with identical property rights, or were they working merely under the guidance of abstract principles of political science? Unfortunately, the materials for such a study are very scanty, because the average biographer usually considers as negligible the processes by which his hero gained his livelihood. The pages which follow are, therefore, more an evidence of what ought to be done than a record of results actually...


Book Synopsis An Economic Interpretation of the Constitution of the United States by : Charles Austin Beard

Download or read book An Economic Interpretation of the Constitution of the United States written by Charles Austin Beard and published by Theclassics.Us. This book was released on 2013-09 with total page 102 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1921 edition. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER V THE ECONOMIC INTERESTS OF THE MEMBERS OF THE CONVENTION Having shown that four groups of property rights were adversely affected by the government under the Articles of Confederation, and that economic motives were behind the movement for a reconstruction of the system, it is now necessary to inquire whether the members of the Convention which drafted the Constitution represented in their own property affiliations any or all of these groups. In other words, did the men who formulated the fundamental law of the land possess the kinds of property which were immediately and directly increased in value or made more secure by the results of their labors at Philadelphia? Did they have money at interest? Did they own public securities? Did they hold western lands for appreciation? Were they interested in shipping and manufactures? The purpose of such an inquiry is not, of course, to show that the Constitution was made for the personal benefit of the members of the Convention. Far from it. Neither is it of any moment to discover how many hundred thousand dollars accrued to them as a result of the foundation of the new government. The only point here considered is: Did they represent distinct groups whose economic interests they understood and felt in concrete, definite form through their own personal experience with identical property rights, or were they working merely under the guidance of abstract principles of political science? Unfortunately, the materials for such a study are very scanty, because the average biographer usually considers as negligible the processes by which his hero gained his livelihood. The pages which follow are, therefore, more an evidence of what ought to be done than a record of results actually...


An Economic Interpretation of the Constitution of the United States

An Economic Interpretation of the Constitution of the United States

Author: Charles Austin Beard

Publisher:

Published: 1944

Total Pages: 330

ISBN-13:

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Book Synopsis An Economic Interpretation of the Constitution of the United States by : Charles Austin Beard

Download or read book An Economic Interpretation of the Constitution of the United States written by Charles Austin Beard and published by . This book was released on 1944 with total page 330 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:


An Economic Interpretation of the Constitution of the United States

An Economic Interpretation of the Constitution of the United States

Author: Charles A. Beard

Publisher:

Published: 2015-11-24

Total Pages: 258

ISBN-13: 9781519492364

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An Economic Interpretation of the Constitution of the United States is a 1913 book by American historian Charles A. Beard. It argues that the structure of the Constitution of the United States was motivated primarily by the personal financial interests of the Founding Fathers. More specifically, Beard contends that the Constitutional Convention was attended by, and the Constitution was therefore written by, a "cohesive" elite seeking to protect its personal property (especially bonds) and economic standing. Beard examined the occupations and property holdings of the members of the convention from tax and census records, contemporaneous news accounts, and biographical sources, demonstrating the degree to which each stood to benefit from various Constitutional provisions. Beard pointed out, for example, that George Washington was the wealthiest landowner in the country, and had provided significant funding towards the Revolution. Beard traces the Constitutional guarantee that the newly formed nation would pay its debts to the desire of Washington and similarly situated lenders to have their costs refunded.


Book Synopsis An Economic Interpretation of the Constitution of the United States by : Charles A. Beard

Download or read book An Economic Interpretation of the Constitution of the United States written by Charles A. Beard and published by . This book was released on 2015-11-24 with total page 258 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An Economic Interpretation of the Constitution of the United States is a 1913 book by American historian Charles A. Beard. It argues that the structure of the Constitution of the United States was motivated primarily by the personal financial interests of the Founding Fathers. More specifically, Beard contends that the Constitutional Convention was attended by, and the Constitution was therefore written by, a "cohesive" elite seeking to protect its personal property (especially bonds) and economic standing. Beard examined the occupations and property holdings of the members of the convention from tax and census records, contemporaneous news accounts, and biographical sources, demonstrating the degree to which each stood to benefit from various Constitutional provisions. Beard pointed out, for example, that George Washington was the wealthiest landowner in the country, and had provided significant funding towards the Revolution. Beard traces the Constitutional guarantee that the newly formed nation would pay its debts to the desire of Washington and similarly situated lenders to have their costs refunded.


We the People

We the People

Author: Forrest McDonald

Publisher: Transaction Publishers

Published: 1991-01-01

Total Pages: 464

ISBN-13: 9781412841214

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Charles A. Bear's An Economic Interpretation of the United States Constitution was a work of such powerful persuasiveness as to alter the course of American historiography. No historian who followed in studying the making of the Constitution was entirely free from Beard's radical interpretation of the document as serving the economic interests of the Framers as members of the propertied class. Forrest McDonald's We the People was the first major challenge to Beard's thesis. This superbly researched and documented volume restored the Constitution as the work of principled and prudential men. It did much to invalidate the crude economic determinism that had become endemic in the writing of American history. We the People fills in the details that Beard had overlooked in his fragmentary book. MacDonald's work is based on an exhaustive comparative examination of the economic biographies of the 55 members of the Constitutional Convention and the 1,750 members of the state ratifying conventions. His conclusion is that on the basis of evidence, Beard's economic interpretation does not hold. McDonald demonstrates conclusively that the interplay of conditioning or determining factors at work in the making of the Constitution was extremely complex and cannot be rendered intelligible in terms of any single system of interpretation. McDonald's classic work, while never denying economic motivation as a factor, also demonstrates how the rich cultural and political mosaic of the colonies was an independent and dominant factor in the decision making that led to the first new nation. In its pluralistic approach to economic factors and analytic richness, We the People is both a major work of American history and a significant document in the history of ideas. It continues to be an essential volume for historians, political scientists, economists, and American studies specialists.


Book Synopsis We the People by : Forrest McDonald

Download or read book We the People written by Forrest McDonald and published by Transaction Publishers. This book was released on 1991-01-01 with total page 464 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Charles A. Bear's An Economic Interpretation of the United States Constitution was a work of such powerful persuasiveness as to alter the course of American historiography. No historian who followed in studying the making of the Constitution was entirely free from Beard's radical interpretation of the document as serving the economic interests of the Framers as members of the propertied class. Forrest McDonald's We the People was the first major challenge to Beard's thesis. This superbly researched and documented volume restored the Constitution as the work of principled and prudential men. It did much to invalidate the crude economic determinism that had become endemic in the writing of American history. We the People fills in the details that Beard had overlooked in his fragmentary book. MacDonald's work is based on an exhaustive comparative examination of the economic biographies of the 55 members of the Constitutional Convention and the 1,750 members of the state ratifying conventions. His conclusion is that on the basis of evidence, Beard's economic interpretation does not hold. McDonald demonstrates conclusively that the interplay of conditioning or determining factors at work in the making of the Constitution was extremely complex and cannot be rendered intelligible in terms of any single system of interpretation. McDonald's classic work, while never denying economic motivation as a factor, also demonstrates how the rich cultural and political mosaic of the colonies was an independent and dominant factor in the decision making that led to the first new nation. In its pluralistic approach to economic factors and analytic richness, We the People is both a major work of American history and a significant document in the history of ideas. It continues to be an essential volume for historians, political scientists, economists, and American studies specialists.


Charles Beard and the Constitution

Charles Beard and the Constitution

Author: Robert Eldon Brown

Publisher: Princeton University Press

Published: 2015-12-08

Total Pages: 228

ISBN-13: 1400876923

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"One could almost use the word momentous, or the word epoch-making though epoch-ending might be more to the point ... I don't see how anyone henceforth can repeat the old cliches which Beard put into circulation forty years ago."—Frederick B. Tolles, Swarthmore College. “American historians, particularly those who have given lectures or written books based on the Beard thesis, ignore Brown’s book at their peril.”—American Historical Review. Originally published in 1956. The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback and hardcover editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905.


Book Synopsis Charles Beard and the Constitution by : Robert Eldon Brown

Download or read book Charles Beard and the Constitution written by Robert Eldon Brown and published by Princeton University Press. This book was released on 2015-12-08 with total page 228 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "One could almost use the word momentous, or the word epoch-making though epoch-ending might be more to the point ... I don't see how anyone henceforth can repeat the old cliches which Beard put into circulation forty years ago."—Frederick B. Tolles, Swarthmore College. “American historians, particularly those who have given lectures or written books based on the Beard thesis, ignore Brown’s book at their peril.”—American Historical Review. Originally published in 1956. The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback and hardcover editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905.