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Book reviews for "Hendrickson,_David_C." sorted by average review score:

Empire of Liberty: The Statecraft of Thomas Jefferson
Published in Paperback by Oxford University Press (1992)
Authors: Robert W. Tucker and David C. Hendrickson
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Empire of Liberty
By examining United States foreign policy between 1783 and 1809 in their book "Empire of Liberty," Robert W. Tucker and David C. Hendrickson put the myth of Thomas Jefferson under fire. Tucker and Hendrickson's central thesis is that Jefferson's statecraft wavered between two contradictory principles of liberty and empire. While president, Jefferson often found himself torn between pursuing a foreign policy role that provided examples of liberty, and a role as an "active crusader in international affairs" (Chaudhuri, American Political Science Review, September 1991). Tucker and Hendrickson claim that Jefferson tried in vain to accomplish both of these conflicting goals. The aim of his "new diplomacy" was to pursue the traditional ends of security and prestige while renouncing the traditional means of entangling alliances and wars that had been constantly used by European powers in the past (Mayer, Washington Post, August 2, 1990). Instead, Jefferson would rely upon what he called "peaceable coercion"--a foreign policy establishing security by commercial arrangements, through the force of American ideals. Jefferson believed that liberty and empire could go hand in hand in the formation of United States foreign policy.
Tucker and Hendrickson analyze several policies during the Jefferson administration to give historiographical context to their argument. The 1803 Louisiana Purchase is mentioned as a case in point. On the surface, the acquisition of almost half a continent at a negligible price was a great triumph of statecraft. Jefferson believed that this incredible land acquisition "preserved the republican character of the Union by removing the presence of dangerous neighbors and the prospect of wars that must result in the imposition of unbearable burdens on society" (Dallek, New York Times, July 1, 1990). It also insured that a predominantly agricultural political economy would be sustained while the United States experienced a steady increase in population. The Louisiana Purchase appeared to be clearly within the interests of the United States.
However, Tucker and Hendrickson point out that in order to make this purchase, Jefferson abandoned several of his sacred principles of liberty. In acquiring Louisiana, Jefferson abandoned his deeply held commitment to strict construction of the Constitution, which did not specifically mention a power to acquire territory (Dallek 1990). Tucker and Hendrickson question this abandonment of principle in light of the circumstances revolving around the purchase. They point out that Napoleon would most likely have not repudiated the agreement if action had been delayed, and that the speedy ratification of the treaty that Jefferson advocated was not necessary (Cunningham, Journal of the Early Republic, September 1991). Like Henry Adams, whose history of Jefferson's administration the authors admire and frequently draw upon, Tucker and Hendrickson emphasize the president's abandonment of strict construction in regard to the Louisiana Purchase as evidence of his desire to establish an empire.
This book has many notable strengths. Tucker and Hendrickson advance their ideas with a portrayal of Jefferson's statecraft that is very comprehensive. Most of the main foreign policy circumstances and events of the Jefferson era are described in detail--in addition to the Louisiana Purchase and policies regarding Native Americans, the authors provide comprehensive analysis on the maritime crisis with Great Britain, and Jefferson's views on Napoleon. Tucker and Hendrickson give a freshness to historical subjects of the Jeffersonian era that have already been mulled over by countless historians.
Along with its strengths, a couple weaknesses exist in "Empire of Liberty." Occasionally the authors press their points too hard. Although Jefferson somewhat abandoned his embrace of free trade in 1807, Tucker and Hendrickson exaggerate his original devotion to the principle. Additionally, labeling him as a "true believer in strict constructionism" until the Louisiana Purchase ignores his acceptance of Hamiltonian policies from the inception of his administration (Kaplan, Journal of American History, June 1991). Tucker and Hendrickson's critique of Jefferson's foreign policy is perhaps somewhat overbearing.
Regardless of any shortcomings Tucker and Hendrickson's analysis may have, they do an exceptional job of making a definite contribution to Jeffersonian literature. They create a picture of Jefferson somewhat different than the image conveyed by such historians as Gilbert Chinard, Merrill Peterson and Dumas Malone. "Empire of Liberty" tends to lean more towards to so-called "darker side" of Jefferson represented by the work of Leonard Levy. Overall, by provoking thoughts on Jeffersonian foreign policy, Tucker and Hendrickson's work contributes monumentally to the discourse on the life of Thomas Jefferson.


The Imperial Temptation: The New World Order and America's Purpose
Published in Paperback by Council on Foreign Relations Press (1992)
Authors: David C. Hendrickson, Robert W. Tucker, and Foreign Relations Council
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American Empire?
Tucker and Hendrickson effectively communicate a criticism of American foreign policy during the Bush Administration. The book is interesting, readable and appropriate for any political science student interested in American foreign policy after the cold war. The arguments are well presented for the most part, but some are problematic. For example, the authors contend that NATO was established as a collective security stating that "NATO, however, was a pure application of collective security: 'It is directed against no one; it is directed solely against aggression.'"(65) While the statement in and of itself may have occurred in practice, the organization itself was designed to combat the spread of Communism, not aggression. In The Imperial Temptation, the authors evaluate the foreign policy of an administration based on a single event: the gulf war. Although this event may be characteristic of the administration, not enough evidence is presented to support that assertion. The Imperial Temptation is a valuable book for the curious and/or critical political science student interested in varying views regarding post-cold war American foreign policy, or simply the gulf war itself. It is an interesting book, and a fairly easy reader on American foreign policy after the cold war.


The Fall of the First British Empire: Origins of the War of American Independence
Published in Paperback by Johns Hopkins Univ Pr (1982)
Authors: Robert W. Tucker and David C. Hendrickson
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Peace Pact: The Lost World of the American Founding (American Political Thought)
Published in Hardcover by Univ Pr of Kansas (2003)
Author: David C. Hendrickson
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Reforming Defense: The State of American Civil-Military Relations
Published in Hardcover by Johns Hopkins Univ Pr (1999)
Author: David C. Hendrickson
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