Compromise and the Constitution [Hardcover]

Kimberly C. Shankman (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 073910036X | ISBN-13: 978-0739100363 | Publication Date: August 31, 1999

Kimberly Shankman has written the first full-length study of the political thought of early American statesman Henry Clay. In Compromise and the Constitution, Shankman seeks to understand Clay's approach to republican statesmanship by carefully considering the context in which he developed and articulated his programs and policy prescriptions. Because Clay was policy-oriented and very seldom addressed politics from a theoretical perspective, there has been a tendency to dismiss him as motivated primarily, if not exclusively, by expedience and ambition. Shankman demonstrates, however, that Clay's reticence about first principles was in fact an integral part of his conception of an appropriate republican politics: one based on prudence, interest, and compromise rather than on principle, passion, and adamancy. This book is crucial reading for scholars of American history, early American political thought, and the Constitution.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Kimberly C. Shankman is Associate Professor in the Department of Politics and Government and Director of the Law and Society Program at Ripon College.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 144 pages
• Publisher: Lexington Books (August 31, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 073910036X
• ISBN-13: 978-0739100363
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.3 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,385,716 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.