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With the 2020 election year getting ever closer (indeed, for any election year), it feels important to review some of the history and politics of this nation. The problem is that many such histories either assume much background knowledge, or are designed for students with little understanding of the process. That's why readers of all ages who seek a basic primer to be used as a refresher course in American ideals and formation will find The Founding Fathers and the Birth of a Nation State a solid primer covering the instigation, ideals, and political nature of what constitutes a 'republic'. The basic contention is that political power should originate with the people and flow upward in a reflection of popular interests. It shouldn't originate at the top and move downward, which would indicate a monarchy or dictatorship. Thomas E. Sawyer cements these notions by providing a historical and political survey that includes social, political, and philosophical reflections about the intentions of the Founding Fathers and how these have been translated over the years under different presidencies from early to modern times. Doctrines such as the separation of powers and how they enacted in American political circles and events are reviewed with more than an attention to historical precedent, identifying points of confusion or challenge in carrying out the Founding Fathers' written edicts: "... the "Doctrine of the Separation of Powers," standing alone as a theory of government, has uniformly failed to provide an adequate basis for an effective, stable political system. Consequently, the practicalities of government have necessitated the combining of this doctrine with other political ideas-the theory of "mixed government," the idea of "balanced government," and the concept of "checks and balances"-to form the complex constitutional theories that provide the basis of modern Western political systems. Nevertheless, when all the necessary qualifications have been made, the essential ideas behind the doctrine remain as vital ingredients of Western political thought and practice today. This particularly true in the American political experience; where the principle of the "Separation of Powers" constitutes one of the fundamental foundations of good government." Footnoted references point to source materials supporting different examinations of various plans, enactment challenges, conventions and legislations, speeches, and political processes. These form a solid foundation of argument, identifying the underlying intentions and meaning of the Constitution and the Founding Fathers that leads to astute analysis about their incarnations and challenges today: "Although the founding Fathers did not foresee the present day, rampant diffusion of bureaucratic functions among the three national branches, the "Doctrine of the Separation of Powers" and the correlative "Principle of Checks And Balances" still represent the essence of the American political experiment; as initially conceived in the Federal Convention in Philadelphia and as evolved in the present day transformation." The Founding Fathers and the Birth of a Nation State is highly recommended as a primer for democratic processes. It's especially valuable and well-documented reading for modern audiences who may have a cursory interest in the subject, but who want deeper explorations of the history and intentions supporting American democratic principles.
