Reading John Taylor of Caroline

John Taylor of Caroline is one of the most important forgotten political figures in American history. He was the most "Jeffersonian" of the Old Republicans. Unlike Jefferson, Taylor published several works on political philosophy and economy, and while he rarely served in government, Taylor's poignant critique of the centralization of power in the early 19th century foreshadowed the sectional conflict of the 1850s. It wasn't about slavery.

This course tackles two of his most important works, Arator and Tyranny Unmasked.

Both were published in the years after the War of 1812 and the birth of the "American System" of Henry Clay. Arator is an agrarian manifesto while Tyranny Unmasked directly assails the federal judiciary, the tariff, and the unconstitutional acts of Congress.

This doubled barrelled assault on nationalism should be read by every American.

You'll get started with this class.