"UNWORTHY MOTIVES": PROPERTY, THE HISTORIAN, AND THE FEDERAL CONSTITUTION—A HISTORIOGRAPHY SPECULATION

This essay explores the influence of republican political theory on the Constitution and its fate in later progressive historiography. After dividing eighteenth century republicanism into two categories, classical and modern, the authors note the cultural significance of property in the Constitution...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Social science quarterly 1987-12, Vol.68 (4), p.847-856
Main Authors: PICKENS, Donald K., SELIGMANN, G. L.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Agricultural land
American philosophy
City states
Common sense
Property titles
Public debt
Republicanism
Research Notes
Self interest
United States history
Utopias
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Summary:This essay explores the influence of republican political theory on the Constitution and its fate in later progressive historiography. After dividing eighteenth century republicanism into two categories, classical and modern, the authors note the cultural significance of property in the Constitution at the time of its creation. The authors focus on two previously underestimated factors, the impact of Scottish moral philosophy and the West, but conclude that recent scholarship in eighteenth century republicanism has made it possible to recover this significant orientation of the Constitution of 1787.
ISSN:0038-4941
1540-6237