The Political Philosophy of Benjamin Franklin

by Lorraine Smith Pangle

Overview

“One of the very finest introductions to this remarkable American’s thought.” —Ralph Ketcham, Claremont Review of Books

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 Benjamin 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.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780801896163
Publisher:	Johns Hopkins University Press
Publication date:	02/03/2022
Series:	The Political Philosophy of the American Founders
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	325
Sales rank:	894,658
File size:	2 MB
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Lorraine Smith Pangle is an associate professor of government at the University of Texas at Austin. She is the author of Aristotle and the Philosophy of Friendship and The Learning of Liberty: The Educational Ideas of the American Founders.

Table of Contents

Note on Sources
Acknowledgments
Introduction
The Earliest Franklin
Franklin, Socrates, and Modern Rationalism
1. The Economic Basis of Liberty
The Weber Critique
The Value of Work
Work, Acquisitiveness, and Nature
A Republican Political Economy
The Meaning of Leisure
2. The Virtuous Citizen
The Ethos of the Merchant
Franklin's Early Thoughts on Virtue and Vice
Franklin's Retreat from His Early Views
The Project for Moral Perfection
Humility, Pride, and Vanity
The Art of Virtue
3. Philanthropy and Civil Associations
Man as a Political Animal
Franklin and Tocqueville on Associations
Franklin's Benevolent Projects
Democratic Leadership
4. Thoughts on Government
The Albany Plan of Union
Of Proprietors and Kings
Statesmanship and Public Relations
Natural Right and Human Opinion
Representation and Federalism
Democratic Diplomacy
The Constitutional Convention
Immigration, Race, and Slavery
5. The Ultimate Questions
Enlightenment and the Adequacy of Reason
The Civic Benefits of Religion
The Defects of Christianity
Toleration and Religious Freedom
The Existence of God
Eros, Death, and Eternity
Notes
Recommended Readings
Index

What People are Saying About This

Steven Forde

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

From the Publisher

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

Editorial Reviews

This insightful and elegantly written book is a joy to read and highly recommended.
—Choice

A learned, wise, and well-written account . . . for giving readers one of the very finest introductions to this remarkable American's thought, we must thank Lorraine Pangle.
—Ralph Ketcham, Claremont Review of Books

Smith Pangle . . . Brings an impressive knowledge of philosophy and Western intellectual traditions.
—Carla Mulford, Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography

From the Publisher

This insightful and elegantly written book is a joy to read and highly recommended.

Choice

Smith Pangle . . . Brings an impressive knowledge of philosophy and Western intellectual traditions.

Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography - Carla Mulford

A learned, wise, and well-written account . . . for giving readers one of the very finest introductions to this remarkable American's thought, we must thank Lorraine Pangle.

Claremont Review of Books - Ralph Ketcham

Smith Pangle... Brings an impressive knowledge of philosophy and Western intellectual traditions.

— Carla Mulford

Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography

A learned, wise, and well-written account... for giving readers one of the very finest introductions to this remarkable American's thought, we must thank Lorraine Pangle.

— Ralph Ketcham

Claremont Review of Books