I'm a complete outsider to the US so I'm asking for some recommendations on any writings and histories in early American political thought. Founding Fathers sort of stuff.
>>24715546Library of America puts out great editions of the Founding Fathers's writing. I recommend their box set >The Debate Over The Constitution and Thomas Paine's >Collected Writings. Get a copy of The Federalist Papers if you can, and de Tocqueville's >Democracy in America too. Should probably throw in some Lincoln speeches in there too somewhere. I'm not sure how much this will help you understand contemporary American political thought, but I'm guessing you're blasted with that on the internet all day and you're probably sick of it. This will show you what America thinks it is and what it hopes to become. America is the Great Satan but I hope the American Experiment turns out alright
>>24715555Thank you. I know a lot of stock is put on the ideas of the Founding Fathers and I've only ever interacted with them tangentially. Problem being I have absolutely no idea about any of them other than George Washington's existence. If I really want to understand the US I think it's best to start with the founding ideas of the state and the debates around it, I'm also half doing this just out of historical curiosity so even if it isn't really that relevant to the modern day it's not much of a problem. Learning about these things is a joy of its own.
Common Sense by Thomas Paine is a good starting point, I think. Published months before the Declaration of Independence, and often credited with swaying public opinion in favor of independence.
>>24715546Bernard Bailyn's books on this topic should be of use
>>24715546There's a lot to gain from Tocqueville and John Locke in understanding America's foundation. Also, there's an incredible nd underrated biography on George Mason which goes into great detail to describe the controversies and hot takes among the founding fathers.
>>24715546https://www.loa.org/books/topics/1-the-founders/
>>24715546>>24715567If you want to get into the nitty gritty, check out:https://oll.libertyfund.org/pages/founders-constitutionThis goes over the whole American constitution, practically clause by clause, and providing commentary via the Founders' letters, essays or newpaper articles, debates, and precedent in British law or British and French political philosophers.
>>24715546>Federalist/antifederalist papers>declaration of independence>articles of confederation>constitution>2nd treatise on government>theological-political treatise>the spirit of the laws>discourses on livy>democracy in america
>>24715546>>24716612What about earlier stuff that influenced there stuff, like english writers talking about political thought that influenced the settlers and what they percieved as their interests.
>>24716625William Blackstone and the English Bill of Rights of 1689 were both pretty important in the lead-up. That anon also lists>2nd treatise on government (Locke)>theological-political treatise (Spinoza)>the spirit of the laws (Montesqieue)>discourses on livy (Machiavelli)Which were all written prior to the Declaration. But otherwise you'd want to look to colony founders like William Penn for what the original settlers had in mind.
>>24716645thanks.
>>24715546Benjamin Franklin's autobiography is kino. Not as much a political tract, but it's got that in there.
>>24715546I might make a chart on this actually, there's a lot of stuff to read if you really want to understand early American thought
