ABSTRACT
Tracy’s political theory may be seen as an attempt to find a balance between principles of democracy and enlightened leadership. He advocated a system of representative government, founded on liberal-constitutional principles and individual rights, which would seek to extend public instruction and civic-mindedness among the people, and which was led by an enlightened elite. As will be shown in the last section of this chapter, Tracy claimed that this type of political system was the most likely to produce a prosperous, contented and energetic nation, where individual merit would be rewarded, and the least talented would nonetheless receive a basic education in citizenship and a trade.
