Democracy, Equality, and Justice
John Adams, Adam Smith, and Political Economy- Authors:
- Publisher:
- 2007
Summary
Challenging common interpretations of the political thought of John Adams and Adam Smith, Democracy, Equality and Justice offers an engaging and novel portrait of the political economy in America at its founding. The founders believed that liberty should not trump community, but should exist within the context of community. Drawing on extensive written records of the thought of John Adams and Adam Smith, the father of modern capitalism, Dr. John E. Hill argues that these two great men advocated a balanced, values-based, and just political economy. Adams, historically misperceived as a rugged individualist who favored aristocracy over democracy, actually emphasized political balance with no one socio-economic class dominating any other. Smith, incorrectly portrayed as a supporter of laissez-faire government, advocated economic balance with no class or individual receiving special treatment from the government. Applying their values of universalism and moderation today would significantly broaden the definition of morality in contemporary politics. Democracy, Equality and Justice is a stimulating and sophisticated text that will encourage debate over the relationship between historical ideas and contemporary economic problems.
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Bibliographic data
- Copyright year
- 2007
- ISBN-Print
- 978-0-7391-1763-7
- ISBN-Online
- 978-0-7391-5406-9
- Publisher
- Lexington, Lanham
- Language
- English
- Pages
- 267
- Product type
- Book Titles
Table of contents
- Contents No access
- Preface No access
- Introduction to the Revised Edition No access
- 1 John Adams? No access Pages 1 - 20
- 2 Revolutionary Values No access Pages 21 - 58
- 3 Virtues for Democratic Citizens No access Pages 59 - 82
- 4 Individuality within Communities No access Pages 83 - 110
- 5 Government and Self-Interest No access Pages 111 - 136
- 6 Self-Interest and the Economy No access Pages 137 - 172
- 7 Property and Democracy No access Pages 173 - 196
- 8 Foreign Policy Values of the Founders No access Pages 197 - 226
- 9 Democracy: Political Equality and Justice for All No access Pages 227 - 244
- Bibliography No access Pages 245 - 256
- Index No access Pages 257 - 266
- About the Author No access Pages 267 - 267





