The Imperial Republic A Structural History of American Constitutionalism from the Colonial Era to the Beginning of the Twentieth Century - Law, Justice and Power

The Imperial Republic addresses the enduring relationship that the American constitution has with the concept of ôempireö. Early activists frequently used the word to describe the nation they wished to create through revolution and later reform. The book examines what the Framers of the Constitution meant when they used the term ôempireö and what such self-conscious empire building tells Americans about the underlying goals of their constitutional system. Utilizing the authorÆs extensive research from colonial times to the turn of the twentieth century, the book concludes that imperial ambition has profoundly influenced American constitutional law, theory and politics. It uses several analytical techniques to ascertain the multiple meanings of such fundamental words as ôempireö and ôrepublicö and demonstrates that such concepts have at least four levels of meaning. Relying on numerous examples, it further concludes that American leaders frequently (even proudly) used the word with some of its most domineering implications.