Our Secret Constitution: How Lincoln Redefined American DemocracyAmericans hate and distrust their government. At the same time, Americans love and trust their government. These contradictory attitudes are resolved by Fletcher's novel interpretation of constitutional history. He argues that we have two constitutions--still living side by side--one that caters to freedom and fear, the other that satisfied our needs for security and social justice. The first constitution came into force in 1789. It stresses freedom, voluntary association, and republican elitism. The second constitution begins with the Gettysburg Address and emphasizes equality, organic nationhood, and popular democracy. These radical differences between our two constitutions explain our ambivalence and self-contradictory attitudes toward government. With September 11 the second constitution--which Fletcher calls the Secret Constitution--has become ascendant. When America is under threat, the nation cultivates its solidarity. It overcomes its fear and looks to government for protection and the pursuit of social justice. Lincoln's messages of a strong government and a nation that must "long endure" have never been more relevant to American politics. "Fletcher's argument has intriguing implications beyond the sweeping subject of this profoundly thought-provoking book."--The Denver Post |
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LibraryThing Review
User Review - hmskip - LibraryThingThe premise of this book is that Lincoln, in a couple of sentences in the Gettysburg address, introduced concepts which were later encoded in the 13th, 14th and 15th amendments. However, he further ... Read full review
OUR SECRET CONSTITUTION: How Lincoln Redefined American Democracy
User Review - KirkusA novel consideration of American history offers a fresh view of a foundational document.Fletcher (Law/Columbia Univ.) argues that the Constitution cleaves into two ill-fitting parts, rather like the ... Read full review
Contents
| 15 | |
RADICAL GETTYSBURG | 35 |
NATIONHOOD | 57 |
LOYALTY AND BETRAYAL | 75 |
EQUALITY | 91 |
THE REVOLUTION THAT NEVER WAS | 113 |
EQUALITY WITHOUT VISION | 141 |
A MAXIM OF JUSTICE ITS BIRTH AND REBIRTH | 165 |
Other editions - View all
Our Secret Constitution: How Lincoln Redefined American Democracy George P. Fletcher Limited preview - 2001 |
Our Secret Constitution: How Lincoln Redefined American Democracy George P. Fletcher Limited preview - 2001 |
Our Secret Constitution: How Lincoln Redefined American Democracy George P. Fletcher Limited preview - 2003 |
Common terms and phrases
action American argued argument authority basic became become birth Bush called century citizens citizenship Civil claim clause clear commitment common conception Congress Constitution created equal crime criminal decision democracy democratic dignity discrimination dissenting election electoral equal protection example expressed fact federal Florida Fourteenth Amendment freedom German Gettysburg grant higher human idea Independence individual interpretation issue Justice language legislation legislature liberty limited Lincoln lives majority means ment moral nation nationhood never opinion original persons political popular postbellum president principle problem Prohibition provides question reason recognize relationship religious remain represented rhetoric rule Secret Constitution sense side simply single slavery slaves social society South speech stand Supreme Court tion treat understanding Union United values victims violated vote women
References to this book
Bibliographic information
| Title | Our Secret Constitution: How Lincoln Redefined American Democracy |
| Author | George P. Fletcher |
| Publisher | Oxford University Press, 2003 |
| ISBN | 0198032439, 9780198032434 |
| Length | 304 pages |
| Subjects | › › History / United States / General Law / Constitutional Law / General Political Science / History & Theory |
| Export Citation | BiBTeX EndNote RefMan |