The American Republic

Orestes Brownson's thought-provoking thesis on the US government, the Constitution of the United States, and the ultimate destiny of the USA, remains as incisive and intellectually rich today as when it was first published.


Combining history with political philosophy, Brownson casts his analytical gaze to the inception of the American nation. Using a wide variety of documents, including those authored by the Founding Fathers prior to and following the creation of the United States, the author attempts to demonstrate how religion and politics are interrelated - in the case of America's founding, both played their roles. In a nutshell: if man is indeed a creation of God, then the governments man creates must also originate from the Creator.


Writing in the mid-19th century, Orestes Brownson attempts to clarify what the very nature of the U.S. government is, and how the Constitution reflects it. Various natural laws, such as those pertaining to the family and human development of civilization, are rigorously examined. Part of Brownson's conclusion is the idea that religion must continue to play a role in the USA, just as it has since the colonial, pre-Independence era.


The author spent a lifetime writing texts on political, social and religious matters. Fascinated with the development of the United States, it was for his eloquence and ability to speak poignantly on topics relevant to the nation that Brownson was known. As he had affiliated with both Catholic and Protestant faiths, and had a reputation as a philosophically intense intellectual, he was commonly sought as a speaker by a wide range of venues.