References to individual “rights” have proliferated in the twenty-first century. Seldom can you engage in a political discussion today without there being some mention of an entitlement like …
The Influence of Race in Americans’ Trust of Government
Scholars have long emphasized the role that public trust has in strengthening democracy (Barnard 2001; Buchanan 2002; Citrin 1974; Dahl 1971; Lipset 1959). In his recent book entitled Can Governments …
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James Madison, American Liberalism, and the Problem of the “Gordian Knot”
Federal jurisdiction is virtually unlimited today and the strength and survivability of liberalism, our nation's animating political philosophy, is hotly debated. These issues are connected and James …
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Alexander Hamilton’s Vision of an American Monarchy
Alexander Hamilton's underlying arguments in The Federalist Papers and the Pacificus-Helvidius Debates of 1793-1794 expand the power of the presidency and display Hamilton's desire for a king-like …
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Compass is an online journal that provides a space for the work of talented undergraduates who have original and well-articulated insights on important ideas and issues relating to American democracy understood in the broad contexts of political philosophy, history, literature, economics, and culture.