Union And Liberty: The Political Philosphy of John C. Calhoun
If you recognize the name John C. Calhoun at all it's probably because you remember him from history class as supporting slavery and promoting secession. Or, you might remember him for his awesome hair.
Before coming down on the wrong side of history, Calhoun was a highly respected Senator. Both John Quincy Adams and John Monroe thought highly of him. He was a candidate for president and served as Vice President to J. Q. Adams and Andrew Jackson (akin to serving as VP to Bush AND Obama). This collection of his key writings and speeches is an important addition to the history of US political philosophy.
Why this is libertarian/conservative: It's easy to understand why Calhoun isn't much discussed these days. He lost. Legal slavery ended, nullification is today considered a fringe idea, and the secessionist rebellion failed. So why, you might ask, should we give him a second thought?
While Calhoun isn't a household name, he made arguments that still resonate today. States Rights and nullification theory (the belief that states should be able to nullify federal laws with which they disagree) are still brought up occasionally. Especially in the South, and especially among conservatives. If you want to know more about these ideas (and why wouldn't you?) you can do worse than reading Calhoun's original arguments. Calhoun was a smart and devoted public servant. Reading his works doesn't mean you have to agree with him. However, you should probably understand the argument he's making before countering it.
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