The 233-year story of how the American people have taken an imperfect constitution—the product of compromises and an artifact of its time—and made it more democratic Who wrote the Constitution? That’s obvious, we think: fifty-five men in Philadelphia in 1787. But much of the Constitution was actually written later, in a series of twenty-seven amendments enacted over the course of two centuries. The real history of the Constitution is the astonishing story of how subsequent generations have reshaped our founding document amid some of the most colorful, contested, and controversial battles in American political life. It’s a story of how We the People have improved our government’s structure and expanded the scope of our democracy during eras of transformational social change. The People’s Constitution is an elegant, sobering, and masterly account of the evolution of American democracy. From the addition of the Bill of Rights, a promise made to save the Constitution from near certain defeat, to the post–Civil War battle over the Fourteenth Amendment, from the rise and fall of the “noble experiment” of Prohibition to the defeat and resurgence of an Equal Rights Amendment a century in the making, The People’s Constitution is the first book of its kind: a vital guide to America’s national charter, and an alternative history of the continuing struggle to realize the Framers’ promise of a more perfect union.

Classic Books Library presents this brand new edition of “The Federalist Papers”, a collection of separate essays and articles compiled in 1788 by Alexander Hamilton. Following the United States Declaration of Independence in 1776, the governing doctrines and policies of the States lacked cohesion. “The Federalist”, as it was previously known, was constructed by American statesman Alexander Hamilton, and was intended to catalyse the ratification of the United States Constitution. Hamilton recruited fellow statesmen James Madison Jr., and John Jay to write papers for the compendium, and the three are known as some of the Founding Fathers of the United States. Alexander Hamilton (c. 1755–1804) was an American lawyer, journalist and highly influential government official. He also served as a Senior Officer in the Army between 1799-1800 and founded the Federalist Party, the system that governed the nation’s finances. His contributions to the Constitution and leadership made a significant and lasting impact on the early development of the nation of the United States.

"The reader can't help but hold out hope that maybe someday, some of these sweeping changes could actually bring the nation's government out of its intellectual quagmire...his lively, conversational tone and compelling examples make the reader a more than willing student for this updated civics lesson." --The Hill The political book of the year, from the acclaimed founder and director of the Center for politics at the University of Virginia. A More Perfect Constitution presents creative and dynamic proposals from one of the most visionary and fertile political minds of our time to reinvigorate our Constitution and American governance at a time when such change is urgently needed, given the growing dysfunction and unfairness of our political system . Combining idealism and pragmatism, and with full respect for the original document, Larry Sabato's thought-provoking ideas range from the length of the president's term in office and the number and terms of Supreme Court justices to the vagaries of the antiquated Electoral College, and a compelling call for universal national service-all laced through with the history behind each proposal and the potential impact on the lives of ordinary people. Aware that such changes won't happen easily, but that the original Framers fully expected the Constitution to be regularly revised, Sabato urges us to engage in the debate and discussion his ideas will surely engender. During an election year, no book is more relevant or significant than this.

This is a book about constitutional reform. Today the Constitution is a dangerous threat to Abraham Lincoln's vision of government of the people, by the people, and for the people. It served the United States well during its early years, but has numerous remarkably undemocratic features. And the Constitution has an even graver overarching flaw. It is preventing us from making reforms needed to address the collapse of the middle class and to renew our rapidly decaying social bonds. The Constitution is a massive obstruction to national unity and to our country's survival.Today we are a multicultural, racially diverse, heavily urbanized society. And we are now in danger of being governed permanently by a wealthy oligarchy. Our middle class is headed toward collapse, and our democracy cannot survive its demise. Steadily deteriorating socioeconomic conditions facing millions of poor and middle-class Americans are almost certain to result in a political crisis that may weaken or shatter our union.To avoid such a catastrophe, it will be essential for us to make extensive political, social, and economic reforms based on constitutional changes that will enable all Americans to view their government as truly fair and firmly committed to creating equal life opportunities and justice for everyone, not just for one elite class or dominant race. This book explains why the Constitution is a major obstacle to reform, and what we will need to do to create a resilient democracy. It takes a deep look at the Constitution's undemocratic features, and then explores why the Constitution also makes unworkable piecemeal reforms, such as a constitutional amendment to take money out of politics or a balanced budget amendment. The time to change our government has come. Americans can and must hold a popular convention that can achieve a constitutional grand bargain resolving divisive issues, which will renew republican government and avoid permanent authoritarian rule by a wealthy oligarchy. The book explores how a popular convention can be held, and proposes a series of essential constitutional reforms.

Hardin argues that the major threat to American constitutional government is the separation of powers doctrine, particularly the division of power between the President and Congress. To correct the imbalance wrought by the separation of powers principle, he suggests constitutional reform toward a form of parliamentary government. He advocates three major reforms: provide defeated presidential candidates with a seat in the House of Representatives to encourage a strong, organized opposition; allow for interim election-year changes in national leadership via votes of confidence; and institute the 4-8-4 proposal that would elect the House of Representatives and half of the Senate every four years (if Senate terms were extended to eight years) at the same time as the election of the President. He also provides a critical review of the literature on constitutional government and reform. ISBN 0-8138-0118-4: $27.95.