The Principles of Constitutional Government: Political Sovereignty

By Warren L. McFerran

The sovereignty of the individual states within the Union, arguably one of the most debated issues in the history of this country, comes to the forefront in this detailed study of the history and implementation of the governmental principles put forth in the American Constitution.

Through his examination of the contribution to the concept of the sovereignty of the people made by John Locke, Warren L. McFerran illustrates the profound impact that the Age of Reason had on the American mind. The author goes on to examine the original American theory of government, which vests political supremacy in the people of each state, and how the rise of the consolidating school throughout the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries determined to undermine the federal Constitution and transfer sovereignty from the people of the states to the federal government.

Close readings of specific clauses of the United States Constitution and detailed consideration of the famous debates of Daniel Webster, including the U.S. Senatorial Webster-Calhoun debate, infuse this history with primary sources and myriad examples. Scholarly in his approach and unambiguous in his analysis, McFerran imparts to readers a renewed appreciation and respect for the twin concepts of states' rights and state sovereignty within the system of constitutionally limited government.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1589807286
• ISBN13: 9781589807280
• Release Date: July 2009
• Publisher: Pelican Publishing Company
• Length: 468 Pages
• Weight: 2.20 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.2" x 7.3" x 9.1"