American Cincinnatus: A Victorious General Refuses a Crown
On December 4, 1783, at Fraunces Tavern, the popular public house located at the corner of Pearl and Broad Streets in Manhattan, General George Washington delivered the first of his many farewells. The parties with American dignitaries were finished, the hands of...
The Pen, the Phone, and the Presidency: A Roman Warning Against the Rise of the American Caesar
In the fading light of the Roman Republic, as senators dithered and people cried out for relief from chaos, an ambitious few found the imperial mantle irresistible. What began as temporary “emergency powers” for the good of the republic soon hardened into permanent,...
The Influence of Machiavelli on the Founding Fathers of the United States
When discussing the intellectual influences on the Founding Fathers of the United States, one typically hears names such as Locke, Montesquieu, and Blackstone. However, one influential thinker often overlooked is Niccolò Machiavelli. Far from being merely the author...