A Republic, If You Can Keep It

When asked to describe the government that had been created at the Constitutional Convention in 1787, Benjamin Franklin responded, “A republic, if you can keep it.” Two hundred and thirty-six years later, we still are trying to sustain the American republic. Sometimes we are more successful, sometimes less; always we argue about what it means. We seem now to be in particularly difficult times. This course will examine how our practice lives up to the high promise of the American experiment in self-government.

Readings:

Links to online readings will be provided.

Doug Bennett taught political philosophy and public policy at several colleges and universities. He was president and professor of politics at Earlham College for 14 years, retiring in 2011.

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