Overview

In recent years, the Constitution has become a source of political controversy between conservatives and progressives. While the right defends our founding document, the left argues that it's an antiquated plan of government that goes against basic principles of democratic sovereignty. What's missing from this debate is an appreciation for the Constitution's purpose. What kind of government were the founders trying to achieve? In his new book, Democracy or Republic? The People and the Constitution, Jay Cost provides insight into that question. He argues that the founders' vision was for a republic, not a democracy. In both types of government, the citizens have the power to rule, but republics go further than this. A republic, as Abraham Lincoln put it, is a government ""of the people, by the people, for the people."" But in a simple democracy, the majority can rule for the good of themselves, rather than the whole community. How do you place the people in charge without creating a democratic tyranny? By the time of the American Revolution, nobody in the history of the world had yet answered this question. But America's Founding Fathers did just that, and the Constitution reflects their ingenious solution--the idea of consensus. They created a government that would take action not because a narrow and fleeting majority demands it, but because a large, broad, and considered coalition of the people has found common cause with one another. This reflects the true opinion of the people, not just a faction that is temporarily in power. That is how government of the people becomes government for the people. America, then, is not merely a democracy. It is something greater. It is a republic, built on the ideal of consensus. And while our country today has many problems, consensus remains the best way to solve them. Far from being a liability for the United States, the Constitution is still its greatest asset.

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"""America's Constitution is under attack. Critics demean it as a political relic at best and a tool of white supremacy at worst. Jay Cost demonstrates that these arguments are hopelessly misguided--and not exactly new either. In crisp, engaging prose, he mounts a powerful defense of the Constitution's role in public life that's awash with rich insights and historical context. Democracy or Republic? doesn't simply resolve the question of whether the United States is a democracy or republic; it provides a road map for all Americans to return to the enduring founding principles that must be part of any serious remedy to our political woes."" --Jonah Goldberg, Senior Fellow and Asness Chair in Applied Liberty at the American Enterprise Institute and Editor in Chief at the Dispatch"

"""America's Constitution is under attack. Critics demean it as a political relic at best and a tool of white supremacy at worst. Jay Cost demonstrates that these arguments are hopelessly misguided--and not exactly new either. In crisp, engaging prose, he mounts a powerful defense of the Constitution's role in public life that's awash with rich insights and historical context. Democracy or Republic? doesn't simply resolve the question of whether the United States is a democracy or republic; it provides a road map for all Americans to return to the enduring founding principles that must be part of any serious remedy to our political woes."" --Jonah Goldberg, Senior Fellow and Asness Chair in Applied Liberty at the American Enterprise Institute and Editor in Chief at the Dispatch Why is American government so gridlocked today? Is the Constitution to blame? What is the best system for Americans to govern themselves? Why is it important that our representatives reach consensus on public policy? These are some of the questions Jay Cost's compelling new book answers. His accessible analysis provides hope to all of us concerned about the state of politics today. And whether Democrat or Republican, liberal or conservative, we can all benefit from Cost's ideas about how to make our government work better. --Jon Kyl, Former US Senator for Arizona With this unsentimental volume, which is as slender and sharp as a stiletto, Jay Cost demonstrates that the nation's founders were not philosophers. They were something more suited to their moment: ""Enlightenment men of politics."" Not being simple-minded, what they founded is not simple. They, Cost demonstrates, devised a durable system for producing consensus, which is not a synonym for perfection, but is a prerequisite for tolerable government. --George F. Will, Columnist at the Washington Post"

Author Information

Jay Cost is the Gerald R. Ford nonresident senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), where he focuses on political theory, Congress, and elections. He is also a visiting scholar at Grove City College and a contributing editor at the Washington Examiner. His previous books include James Madison: America's First Politician (Basic Books, 2021); The Price of Greatness: Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and the Creation of American Oligarchy (Basic Books, 2018); and A Republic No More: Big Government and the Rise of Political Corruption (Encounter Books, 2015). He earned a PhD in political science from the University of Chicago and a BA in government and history from the University of Virginia.

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