Let the Advice Be Good: A Defense of Madison’s Democratic Nationalism

Building upon the thesis that James Madison’s political philosophy can be articulated without excuses made for his separation from Alexander Hamilton or his dependence on Thomas Jefferson, this book structures an account of Madison’s response to conditions of democratic opinion in a large nation-state. Allen defends Madison’s claim that his consistent approach can alone sustain the union of heterogeneous elements within the United States. At the heart of the argument is an analysis of the Federalist Papers that reveals concerns in the 1790s and proceeds to tie them directly with his efforts as defacto leader in parliament in the first Congress. Allen’s response to the claim that Madison took the public good out of politics reveals revolutionary statesmanship and an elevated conception of the political good beyond theoretical speculation.