The American Political Tradition and the Men Who Made It...

Great American Political Thinkers In the year of 1776, the United States became an independent country. At that moment, the great men who fought for its independence began to create the government and shape American politics. In Richard Hofstadters The American Political Tradition and the Men Who Made It, he identifies twelve of the most influential men and the political traditions they created, including the Founding Fathers who started it all. Additionally, Hofstadter informs the reader of other significant government officials including Andrew Jackson and his democracy, the progressive, trustbuster Theodore Roosevelt, and ending with Franklin D. Roosevelt and his programs of the New Deal. Richard Hofstadters ideas are brilliantly†¦show more content†¦John Adams stated that â€Å"each element have its own house of legislature†. Over both houses would be an impartial executive with veto power, organic check and self-control. In other words, they needed a president. T hese devices were an attempt to guarantee the future of the United States against previous outcomes of preceding republics. There were, of course, opponents to the constitution. For those who disagreed with the document, ten amendments were added for freedom and liberty by the property each citizen owned. If the citizen owned property, then they were considered â€Å"worthy†, meant that they had wealth, could vote and be part of society and then gained liberty. If they did not have enough money to own property, then they had no liberty and were worthless in society. The Founding Fathers decided that democracy would destroy liberty through the redistribution of property. Therefore, they just gave a new meaning to democracy. The citizen may vote, if they owned land. After one establishes a government, they must have a capable leader to carry the plan out. The Founding Fathers have set the basics. They have given a meaning to the United States. Now is the time for one to step fo rward and lead the country. That someone is Thomas Jefferson, Hofstadter’s next influential man. â€Å"He remains aloof from the masses and if he claims equality for all, it is not because he feels that men areShow MoreRelatedThe American Political Tradition912 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"The American Political Tradition† published in 1948 was written by a well-known historian at Colombia University. Richard Hofstadter was born on August 6, 1916, in Buffalo, New York. He attended both the University of Buffalo and Columbia University where he studied philosophy and history. Hofstadter was married twice and later in 1970 died from leukemia. 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