James Burgh, Just Representation, and American Revolutionary Thought
Abstract
The purpose of my study is to examine the writings of the unjustly obscure English radical James Burgh and his influence on Revolutionary-era American thought. It focuses on ideas of achieving a just and effective representation of people in the legislative branch, free from control or overreach from the executive. This major theme of Burgh's writings most interested the Founders. Starting with proof that James Burgh's political writings were widely read and accepted as authoritative works, it uses two case studies to demonstrate this influence. It discusses the citation by Thomas Paine of Burgh's Political Disquisitions in his work Common Sense, and speculates on a direct influence of James Burgh on the political thought of Thomas Paine. It discusses the citations of James Burgh by James Madison in his Federalist Paper #56 and his "Additional Memorandums on Ancient Memorandums on Ancient Modern Confederacies, 1787." In concludes that James Burgh's political thought was closer to the beliefs of the Anti-federalists rather than the Federalists.
James Burgh, Just Representation, and American Revolutionary Thought
The purpose of my study is to examine the writings of the unjustly obscure English radical James Burgh and his influence on Revolutionary-era American thought. It focuses on ideas of achieving a just and effective representation of people in the legislative branch, free from control or overreach from the executive. This major theme of Burgh's writings most interested the Founders. Starting with proof that James Burgh's political writings were widely read and accepted as authoritative works, it uses two case studies to demonstrate this influence. It discusses the citation by Thomas Paine of Burgh's Political Disquisitions in his work Common Sense, and speculates on a direct influence of James Burgh on the political thought of Thomas Paine. It discusses the citations of James Burgh by James Madison in his Federalist Paper #56 and his "Additional Memorandums on Ancient Memorandums on Ancient Modern Confederacies, 1787." In concludes that James Burgh's political thought was closer to the beliefs of the Anti-federalists rather than the Federalists.