Constitution and National Security, The - Softcover

Softcover

ISBN 10: 089875920X ISBN 13: 9780898759204

Publisher: University Press of the Pacific, 2002

Synopsis

The founders of our republic were determined to establish a government that protected the rights of the individual within a free society, a system that improved upon European designs. Newly independent, the Americans formed a government under the Articles of Confederation. As a loose confederation of states, however, the growing nation had a weak national voice and little international status. After only ten years under this system, the states recognized the need for more national power and drafted the U. S. Constitution.

The goal, again, was to protect the individual's natural rights through the creation of an energetic national government. Thus the U. S. Constitution was written, with compromises, and submitted to the people for their ratification. After vigorous public debate, this document became the fundamental law of the land.

The Constitution has endured with few additional amendments for more than two centuries - but not without continuing debate. In this newest contribution to the writings of constitutional scholars, papers address the President's war powers, the role of Congress in foreign policy, and other questions of interpreting the Constitution in the modern era. These current issues have at their core the same fundamental questions that animated debate during the Constitutional Convention in 1787: how best to protect society while guarding the rights of the individual, how best to give sufficient power to the executive while guarding against abuse of power. But even as we debate, we celebrate our Constitution, a document forged of ingrained American beliefs that our republic can be secured and the rights of the individual safeguarded.

Vice Admiral J. A. Baldwin, United States Navy

President, National Defense University

About this title

About the Author

Thomas is a retired naval aviator and author of previous books and numerous articles.

About this edition

• Publisher: University Press of the Pacific
• Publication date: 2002
• ISBN 10: 089875920X
• ISBN 13: 9780898759204
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 392
• Editor: Shuman Howard E., Thomas Walter R.