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The Constitutional Tradition: History, Political Action, and Progress in American Political Thought 1787-1793

FEW CONCEPTS are talked about more these days than tradition. Few are so seldom defined. Among political theorists there is an interest again in the history of theory, with scholars doing historical research, teachers dusting off the classics, students, including the ones who used to speak so often of "relevance," talking now about "the tradition." Yet for those concerned with the concept of tradition, recent theorists have had little to offer. Few have written about the idea. Most who have leave us with several misconceptions. First, that tradition is an organic force, mystical spirit, or scientific inevitability. Second, that it is a product of the ancient past or long-forgotten history. Third, that it is inexorable, an ancient curse or genetic code that we today can only accept, presumably without protest. But tradition need be none of these. Instead tradition can sometimes be a political strategy designed to legitimate a decision by demonstrating its continuity with past, present, and future policies. Such a tradition creates the impression of con-