Liberty's Blueprint

Aside from the constitution itself, there is no more important document in American politics and law than The Federalist — the series of essays that James Madison and Alexander Hamilton [with a little help from John Jay] wrote to persuade the American people to ratify the Constitution. Today, in an age of angry, polarizing debate over what the Constitution means and how to determine the relevance of the framers’ “original intent,” the “Federalist Papers” are once again essential reading.

Liberty’s Blueprint: How Madison and Hamilton Wrote the Federalist Papers, Defined the Constitution, and Made Democracy Safe for the World, explains how a careful reading of these essays leads to realistic solutions to manycontemporary legal and political issues. The primary lesson of The Federalist, that those who possess power tend to lust for more, or, in the words of Madison, “power is of an encroaching nature,” is neither liberal nor conservative, but is fundamental foranyone participating in today’s political debates. The wisdom of Hamilton and Madison shows how the Constitution, created in the 18th century in a time of sailing ships and single-shot muskets, can be applied to a 21st century world of stealth aircraft and dirty bombs. Properly understood, The Federalist can provide important lessons for resolving a wide range of controversial issues, from warrantless wiretapping to medical marijuana.

Liberty’s Blueprint also reveals, for the first time, the complexity of the personal relationship between the philosophical and cautious Madison and the charismatic and reckless Hamilton. Spanning the turbulent years from the end of the Revolutionary War through the administration of George Washington, Liberty’s Blueprint shows how Madison and Hamilton’s collaboration evolved from a volatile political alliance into an unexpected friendship, only to disintegrate into estrangement and animosity.

“This beautifully written book vividly describes how the Federalist Papers were written and why they are profoundly relevant for the constitutional issues of our times. Professor Meyerson describes how two very different individuals, Alexander Hamilton and James Madison, collaborated to produce a brilliant work of political philosophy and elaboration of the Constitution’s meaning. Meyerson has written a book that all students of the Constitution and American history will enjoy and learn from.”
— Erwin Chemerinsky, Alston & Bird Professor of Law and Political Science, Duke University