The Corner

Liberalism and the Soul

Re: Michael Ledeen’s post on Paul Berman:

We didn’t quite banish discussions of the soul. See Federalist #6. After a long list of crimes brought on by tyrants’ lust, greed, etc., Publius (in this case, my man Hamilton) says: “Is it not time to surrender the deceiving dream of a golden age, [and conclude] that we do not live in an empire of perfect reason?”  I am quoting from memory, in a hotel business center, but that’s the gist.

Historian Richard Brookhiser is a senior editor of National Review and a senior fellow at the National Review Institute.
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