The most famous man of his age, Benjamin Franklin was an individual of many talents and accomplishments. He invented the wood-burning stove and the lightning rod, he wrote Poor Richard's Almanac and The Way to Wealth, and he traveled the world as a diplomat. But it was in politics that Franklin made his greatest impact. Franklin's political writings are full of fascinating reflections on human nature, on the character of good leadership, and on why government is such a messy and problematic business. Drawing together threads in Franklin's writings, Lorraine Smith Pangle illuminates his thoughts on citizenship, federalism, constitutional government, the role of civil associations, and religious freedom. Of the American Founders, Franklin had an unrivaled understanding of the individual human soul. At the heart of his political vision is a view of democratic citizenship, a rich understanding of the qualities of the heart and mind necessary to support liberty and sustain happiness. This concise introduction reflects Franklin's valuable insight into political issues that continue to be relevant today.''An excellent piece of work, gracefully written, as befits a work on the printer and master-writer himself. Its insight into Benjamin Franklin's thought is fresh and penetrating. Among the distinctive features of this work is its running comparison of Franklin with Socrates and with the high tradition of political philosophy. Pangle digs unusually deeply into Franklin's writings and the history of his doings.''—Steven Forde, University of North Texas
Note on SourcesAcknowledgmentsIntroductionThe Earliest FranklinFranklin, Socrates, and Modern Rationalism1. The Economic Basis of LibertyThe Weber CritiqueThe Value of WorkWork, Acquisitiveness, and NatureA Republican Political EconomyThe Meaning of Leisure2. The Virtuous CitizenThe Ethos of the MerchantFranklin's Early Thoughts on Virtue and ViceFranklin's Retreat from His Early ViewsThe Project for Moral PerfectionHumility, Pride, and VanityThe Art of Virtue3. Philanthropy and Civil AssociationsMan as a Political AnimalFranklin and Tocqueville on AssociationsFranklin's Benevolent ProjectsDemocratic Leadership4. Thoughts on GovernmentThe Albany Plan of UnionOf Proprietors and KingsStatesmanship and Public RelationsNatural Right and Human OpinionRepresentation and FederalismDemocratic DiplomacyThe Constitutional ConventionImmigration, Race, and Slavery5. The Ultimate QuestionsEnlightenment and the Adequacy of ReasonThe Civic Benefits of ReligionThe Defects of ChristianityToleration and Religious FreedomThe Existence of GodEros, Death, and EternityNotesRecommended ReadingsIndex
""Smith Pangle... Brings an impressive knowledge of philosophy and Western intellectual traditions.""
