Great Courses: Topic of Study: Federalists Papers

Despite their lack of official or legal status, it would be difficult to overstate the influence of The Federalist Papers. These 85 brilliant essays have served as the single most important guide to the interpretation and application of the United States Constitution for more than 230 years. Authored by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay, The Federalist Papers offer a detailed blueprint for building a successful democratic republic, investigating such topics as: The danger that factions posed in a representative democracy; The balance of power between the federal government and the states (“dual sovereignty”); The way a bicameral legislature would prevent the rise of tyranny; and The roles of the president and the federal judiciary.

Over the past two centuries, the American government has seen its share of trials and tribulations, and the 21st century has ushered in a host of new crises, from the growing surveillance state to the political polarization exacerbated by social media. Will the American system of government survive the next crisis? Are we still governed by the same system the Framers of the Constitution envisioned? What do they have to tell us about good governance today—or our political future? Delve into these questions and more with Books That Matter: The Federalist Papers. Taught by acclaimed professor and legal scholar Joseph L. Hoffmann of the Indiana University Maurer School of Law, these 12 thought-provoking lectures take you back to the hot summer weather of Philadelphia in 1787, when the delegates from the states gathered to revise the Articles of Confederation. Twelve thirty-minute lectures. Repeats each Monday/Wednesday/Friday.