The Political Thought of Calvin Coolidge

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Thomas J. Tacoma. The Political Thought of Calvin Coolidge

Acknowledgments

Introduction

Coolidge’s Life

The State of Coolidge Scholarship

Coolidge’s Political Thought

A Note on Methodology

Notes

Coolidge’s Era

The Roots, Principles, and Achievements. of American Progressivism

Pre-Conditions of Progressivism: Economic and Cultural Developments

Philosophic Roots of Progressivism

The Historical School and Historicism

Pragmatism

Social Darwinism

Positivism

The Social Gospel

Principles of Progressive Thought

Principal Progressive Reforms

Conclusion

Notes

The Origins of Coolidge’s. Political Philosophy

Coolidge’s Educational Background

Anson D. Morse: Historian and Proponent. of the Party System. Morse’s Teaching on Civilization and Political Parties

Morse’s Influence on Coolidge

Charles E. Garman: Principal Source of. Coolidge’s Philosophy

Charles Garman: Background

Garman’s Teaching Method and Aims

Garman’s Psychology of Individualism

Garman and Coolidge on Ethics and the State

Garman and Coolidge on Progress and Reform

Conclusion

Notes

The Political Philosophy of. Calvin Coolidge

Civilization and Barbarism

First Measure of Civilization: The Rule of Law. Progress toward Civilization Achieved in the Rule of Law

Religion and the Rule of Law

Education and the Rule of Law

Second Measure of Civilization: Individualism

Primacy of the Individual

Man’s Fixed Nature

Spiritual Aspect of Human Nature

Limits of Human Nature and Political Reform

Third Measure of Civilization: The Law of Service

Fourth Measure of Civilization: Rejection of Expediency

Conclusion

Notes

Calvin Coolidge’s Interpretation of American History

The Progressive Interpretation of the Founding. J. Allen Smith’s Critique of the “Spirit” of the Founding

Charles Beard’s Economic Critique of the Constitution

The Progressive Critique of the Declaration of Independence

Coolidge on America’s Colonial Background

Coolidge and the Value of American History

Coolidge on Colonial America

Coolidge and the Declaration of Independence

Coolidge on Washington and the Founders

Coolidge on the Historical Significance. of the Constitution

Coolidge on Abraham Lincoln

Conclusion

Notes

Coolidge, the American Regime, and Progressivism

Coolidge and Constitutional Basics

Purposes of the Constitution

Constitutional Interpretation: “Hamiltonian Formalism”

Coolidge and the Three Branches of Government

Coolidge and Article I of the Constitution

Coolidge and Article II of the Constitution

Coolidge and Article III of the Constitution

Coolidge on Federalism

Political Parties in a Constitutional Republic

Coolidge’s Critique of Progressivism

The Fundamental Changes Wrought by Progressivism

Direct Democracy

Government Centralization and Administrative Power

Public Administration, Coolidge-Style

Conclusion

Notes

Coolidge’s View of “Constructive Economy”

Coolidge and the Laws of Economics. The Existence of Economic Laws

Economic Individualism and the Right to Private Property

The Justification for Wealth. Property Rights as the Righteous Rewards for Service

Material Wealth Serves Higher Ends

Prosperity Makes Charity Possible

Governmental Economy and the Common Good

How Government Serves the People

Tax Reduction in Service of the People

Challenges of the Modern Economy. Proper Relationship of Government and Business

Constructive Economy and Humanitarian Legislation

Domestic Regulation of the Economy by the Federal Government

The Protective Tariff

Economic Aims of Restrictive Immigration

Coolidge’s Opposition to Unsound Economic Ideas

Problems with McNary-Haugen

Collectivist Theories: Socialism and Communism

Pro-Civilization Economics

The Dangerous Tendency of Popular Governments

Using Prosperity Well

Conclusion

Notes

Calvin Coolidge’s Foreign. Policy Thought

Foreign Policy to Promote Civilization. An End-Point of History?

Peace Requires Justice

The Possibilities of War

Barbarians and Hostility toward the United States

Military Preparedness for the Sake of Peace

Coolidge’s “America First” Foreign Policy. Foundations of American Foreign Policy

The Real Meaning of “America First”

Promoting Civilization Globally

Integrating Sovereignty with International Law

Limiting National Armaments

Membership in the World Court

European Debt Payments

The American Mission: Modeling Righteous Behavior

Between Isolationism and Entangling Alliances

Heirs of American Imperialism

American Interventionism

Outlawing War: Kellogg-Briand

Conclusion

Notes

Conclusion

Coolidge’s Principles

Coolidge the “Constitutional Conservative”?

Coolidge as “Conservative Icon”?

The Meaning of the Great Depression for. American Civilization

Notes

Select Bibliography

Index

About the Author

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I once read an acknowledgments page in which the author claimed to have incurred no debts in writing to anyone. I do not pretend to understand how that could ever be true, and it is certainly not true of this book, which could not have been written without the assistance of many good people.

Good books result in large part from good librarians, and I am grateful to the librarians at Mossey Library and at Guyton Library for their assistance. Brenna Wade, Colleen Ladd, Shelby Carmichael, and Hannah Johnson have made my research much easier by helping me to locate books, articles, and old magazine clippings. Special thanks, too, go to Julie Bartlett Nelson, librarian at the Calvin Coolidge Presidential Library and Museum at Forbes Library, who helped me in my archival research.

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James, Pragmatism, 54–55. Emphasis in original.

28.

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