In the spirit of recent works such as Habits of the Heart and The Closing of the American Mind, Ralph Ketcham's Individualism and Public Life asks whether the individualism which has made possible so many of the material advances we enjoy may also be the cause of the shortcomings troubling our society today. By tracing the development of individualism from its origins in classical and Judeo-Christian traditions, and enlisting the insights of East Asian cultures, Ketcham re-evaluates the individualism which characterizes contemporary American society. He then poses a new politics of the public interest, including revised ideas of citizenship, leadership, and decision-making in a grand attempt to reconcile the individualism of American liberalism with a healthy conception of public life.
Ralph Louis Ketcham Knihy
Ralph Ketcham was a distinguished scholar specializing in early American constitutional and political theory. As a former editor of the papers of James Madison, his work provided deep insights into the foundational ideas of American governance. His academic career, marked by distinguished professorships, was dedicated to exploring the principles of citizenship and public affairs, leaving a significant legacy in the study of American political thought.



The complete text of dissenting opinions of those who saw the Constitution as a threat are collected in this volume with Convention debates, commentaries, and lists that cross-reference to its companion Signet Classics volume The Federalist Papers. číst celé
A biography of James Madison, fourth president of the United States, who was elected in 1809. Ketchman provides an analysis of his political theory and of the way in which he sought to apply it to the establishment of constitutional government. číst celé