The Political Theory Of The American Founding: ... <Safe>

Because individuals are naturally free, just government must be based on the consent of the governed .

West disputes the idea that the Founding was a "blend" of disparate elements. He argues that while the Founders valued common law and Protestantism, they only accepted these insofar as they supported natural rights. ⚖️ The Role of Virtue and Public Policy The Political Theory of the American Founding: ...

West contends that the Founders did not simply mix liberalism, republicanism, and Christianity; they filtered all other traditions through the primary lens of . Because individuals are naturally free, just government must

The doctrine of equality and the laws of nature are the foundational core of their theory. ⚖️ The Role of Virtue and Public Policy

Thomas G. West’s The Political Theory of the American Founding: Natural Rights, Public Policy, and the Moral Conditions of Freedom (2017) challenges the modern scholarly view that the American founding was a confused "amalgam" of conflicting ideas. Instead, West argues the Founders shared a centered on natural rights . 🏛️ The Core Argument: Natural Rights as the Lens

A major contribution of West’s work is demonstrating how "liberal" rights and "republican" virtue are . The Moral Conditions of Freedom The Founders in Full - Claremont Review of Books