"Along with Yale University historian Edmund S. Morgan and other contemporaries, he challenged the theory of Charles A. Beard that the founders were wealthy opportunists less interested in ideas than in power, using revolutionary rhetoric to arrange a society that primarily benefited themselves. Through a close reading of political pamphlets, Bailyn believed that the founders held sincere and reasoned ideas about democracy and profoundly objected to British claims of ultimate power to enact laws for the colonies."
Hillel Italie at The Daily Sentinel reports the death of Bernard Bailyn.
Gordon Wood praises Bailyn in a 2015 Weekly Standard article.
As does Daniel N. Gullotta at The Bulwark.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment