{"product_id":"crossroads-for-liberty-william-j-watkins-9781598132809","title":"Crossroads for Liberty: Recovering the Anti-Federalist Values of America's First Constitution","description":"\u003cb\u003eWhat did the American Founders actually intend for the country, and does it even matter today? If America began as an idea, then what kind of idea?\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eIn a time of increasing turmoil over American history, politics, and society, \u003ci\u003eCrossroads for Liberty: Recovering the Anti-Federalist Values of America's First Constitution\u003c\/i\u003e takes a surprising and thought-provoking look at the American Revolution, the Articles of Confederation, and the Constitution, and asks what we can learn from them. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e Author William Watkins casts a critical eye on conventional wisdom about the Articles of Confederation, as he outlines the differences between that original U.S. governing document and the Constitution, which replaced it. He finds that the Articles protected individual liberty and community-centered government in ways that the looser language of the U.S. Constitution did not. Watkins draws from contemporary examples of bureaucratic overreach and expansion to support his argument--examples that were startlingly predicted by proponents of small government at the time of the Constitution's adoption. Along the way, he points back to the Articles and the values of the American Revolution as a framework for reimagining American politics to foster liberty and truly representative governance. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003ci\u003eCrossroads for Liberty \u003c\/i\u003earrives at an important time in American political life, and its reexamination of the American Founding presents a significant contribution to the story about America. Readers will come away with a greater understanding of current political and constitutional issues, as well as a new perspective on American history. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003eNow in paperback for the first time, and with a new preface by the author.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e William J. Watkins\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-10:\u003c\/b\u003e 1598132806\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-13:\u003c\/b\u003e 9781598132809\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Independent Institute\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLanguage:\u003c\/b\u003e English\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 01\/13\/2026\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 336\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFormat:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 1.00lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 8.99h x 5.92w x 0.80d","brand":"William J. Watkins","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":48089389727999,"sku":"9781598132809","price":24.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/2982\/9887\/files\/img_aa1c5f1a-f64e-42c5-9f33-ef7b9fab798b.jpg?v=1769109947","url":"https:\/\/www.whiterainbookhouse.com\/products\/crossroads-for-liberty-william-j-watkins-9781598132809","provider":"WR Book House","version":"1.0","type":"link"}