Madison, the Father of Politics
Over the weekend, I read Rick Brookhiser’s new biography of James Madison. It’s a solid take: It hits all the important points without dwelling on them needlessly. I recommend it. (For those who want to spend more time with the fourth president, I recommend Ralph Ketcham’s considerably longer biography.)
A common contention about Madison is that he was a great legislator but a poor executive. He shepherded the Bill of Rights through the First Congress, but his prosecution of the War of 1812 left something to be desired (like competence).
One problem was his Cabinet. In an attempt at political balance, Madison filled it with rivals within the Republican party, Secretary of War John Armstrong of New York and Secretary of State James Monroe of Virginia chief among them. Brookhiser illustrates the resultant strife in the opening chapter, in which he recounts the disagreement among Madison, Monroe, and Armstrong over military strategy. In August 1814, when the British were invading Maryland, Madison was anxious about the capital’s safety. Armstrong, meanwhile, thought the British would ignore Washington and take Baltimore. Ultimately, Armstrong was right: The British did attack Baltimore -- after they had burned the capital, as Madison had feared.
Since Doris Kearns Goodwin published her study of Abraham Lincoln’s cabinet, Team of Rivals, the idea that the president should have many dissonant voices in his Cabinet has grown in popularity. (Hagiographies about Franklin D. Roosevelt make the same point; as do hatchet jobs on the George W. Bush administration, which, critics argue, had a bunker mentality.) But Madison’s example is instructive. Madison too had a Cabinet of rivals, but it often operated less as a team and more like a contest. Although it’s important that the president resist the White House bubble, he ultimately must give the executive branch direction, and that direction requires a certain amount of unity among his advisers. And if his Cabinet members are leading in different directions, chaos will ensue.
I apologize for being MIA recently, but I had just gotten to Lincoln in my series (my reviews are several presidents behind), so you can imagine I had some enjoyable reading to do.
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Feb '11
Re: Madison, the Father of Politics
Brian Bolduc:
One problem was his Cabinet. In an attempt at political balance, Madison filled it with rivals within the Republican party, Secretary of War John Armstrong of New York and Secretary of State James Monroe of Virginia chief among them. ...
Since Doris Kearns Goodwin published her study of Abraham Lincoln’s cabinet, Team of Rivals, the idea that the president should have many dissonant voices in his Cabinet has grown in popularity.
So Madison read Kearns Goodwin's book about Lincoln and adopted the idea of dissonant voices in the Cabinet?
Re: Madison, the Father of Politics
Marvelous post--and, if I may say so, 'bout time. (I don't mind being left hanging. But on Jefferson?)
Could we tempt you, do you suppose, to try a chief executive out of order? Ron Radosh's recent Weekly Standard cover story on Warren Harding struck me as more or less astounding. Harding, the father of prosperity? Would just love to have you look into that misbegotten figure and let us know your judgment.
P.S. Lovely NR cover story on Ted Cruz, btw. I've been a Cruz fan ever since I was fortunate enough to hear him argue before the Supreme Court on the Texas redistricting case of a couple of years ago. Cruz coolly took charge of the entire chamber.
Jun '10
Re: Madison, the Father of Politics
I haven't read the book (yet), but Brookhiser recently gave a talk about it at Cato, which was well worth watching.
And, of course, he's appeared on Mr. Robinson's Uncommon Knowledge a time or two regarding his other books.
Mar '11
Re: Madison, the Father of Politics
DKG's book, A Team of Rivals, makes Lincoln out to be a squish who folded like a wet napkin at every opportunity. I'd say DKG is a hack, except she's not that good.
I've been looking for some good books on Madison. Thanks, Brian. Jack Rakove claims to be a Madison expert, but he's just another hack.
Apr '11
Re: Madison, the Father of Politics
I'm a big fan of Empire of Liberty for most of Madison's life. I enjoyed Brookhiser's Washington, and hope that I'll get round to Madison. Still, seems worth noting that OUP History of America books from Audible.com are a fantastic supplement to ricochet podcasts for learning while you cook, navigate the subway/ airport, and generally do other boring things that preclude books. What God Hath Wrought, the 1815-1848 volume, is even better than Empire of Liberty.