The Political and Legal Philosophy of James Wilson: 1742-1798 [Hardcover]

Mark David Hall (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1997

Mark David Hall fills a void in the literature by providing a comprehensive analysis of Wilson's political and legal philosophy. By placing him in the context of the history of ideas, and by showing how his political theory influenced his concrete contributions to the creation of the American republic, Hall reveals Wilson's views of morality, epistemology, and human nature. These views made him the founding period's most important advocate of a strong and democratic national government that also protects the rights of the individual. The Political and Legal Philosophy of James Wilson, 1742-1798 is a significant examination of the intellectual and political legacy of one of America's leading founders. The book will be of great interest to political scientists, historians, and students of the law.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 248 pages
• Publisher: University of Missouri Press (June 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0826211038
• ISBN-13: 978-0826211033
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,072,711 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good book., November 14, 2004

By 

Matty (America) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Political and Legal Philosophy of James Wilson: 1742-1798 (Hardcover)

The previous critique misses the point of a limited one person biography. This book overemphasizes the contribution of Wilson's contribution to America's founding as much as any book that focuses on one thinker overestimates his or her role in any given aspect of history.

Wilson, as Hall clearly states, was a democrat. Of course this term, as in the case of the book, is used in its historical sense. Terms, ideologies change throughout time. Liberal now is far from what liberal once was. Wilson, in the historical context was a democrat (this of course is compared to the thinkers in America during the founding).

This histiography is one that needs to be taken seriously by anyone who is interested in the political philosophy and James Wilson. Of course, as previous commentor has lacked to mention, one must be concerned and understand history if he or she is interested in enjoying this book. A narrow look as social science and firm principles which we have defined as of present will greatly obscure ones understanding of this work- which would be a pitty.

9 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Some promise, but ultimately disappointing., June 23, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: The Political and Legal Philosophy of James Wilson: 1742-1798 (Hardcover)

Mark David Hall has tried to fill a void in the historiography. A biography of James Wilson was certainly overdue by 1997. Hall does shed light on Wilson's unique epistomology and how he integrated it into the liberal and republican ideology of the time. Indeed, Hall demonstrates how Wilson's belief in a "moral sense" that existed in all human beings necessitated an optimism toward popular rule, an optimism that surpassed that of many of the other Founders by the late 1780s.
Nonetheless, this work has numerous unforgivable mistakes. Hall over-emphasizes Wilson's democratic tendencies, going so far as to actually call him a democrat -- a title that Wilson would have abhored as much as aristocrat. Hall notes Wilson's belief that majoritarian government had to have its power checked, but this aspect of Wilson's ideology he gives slight attention to. He makes a disengenuous argument that Wilson believed that balance of power was needed to check corruption rather than the democracy. This distinction is hollow. To believe that democratic government needs to be limited is equivalent to believing that democratic rule needs to be checked. The truth is that though Wilson did believe that the people could be trusted more than did the other Founders, he also believed in limiting popular power. Wilson disagreed at many points how these checks ought to be achieved and to what degree they were to be implimented. But the same can be said for most of the Founders. Wilson is better classified along with the majority of the other Founders as a republican and a liberal -- a republican willing to allow the people a slightly greater role in authority, but a republican nonetheless, not a democrat.
Hall also over-emphasizes Wilson's role in developing the governmental ideology of the new republic. Likewise he often underestimates the activity of others. This work also fails to place Wilson's ideas in the context of broader, external, intellectual activity, therefore giving the reader the impression that he originated more than he did. Finally, this author fails to chart Wilson's intellectual development. There seems to be an assumption that what Wilson believed in 1789 was what he believed in 1768 soon after he arrived in America.
This is a book that I wanted to like and it does have some redeeming value, but ultimately it is too flawed to allow any more than a single star. I will be looking for a new biography of Wilson, soon.