ABSTRACT
The American revolution is a classic subject, in the sense that it has always attracted the best minds among historians; and the body of writings about it are an important part of the heritage of the United States. In 1790 Thomas Jefferson advised Thomas Mann Randolph on the appropriate reading for a young man preparing for a career in the law. The Secretary of State recommended Adam Smith, Montesquieu, Locke's "little book on Government", the Federalist, and James Burgh's Political Disquisitions. The perspective of Burgh's political ideas was entirely negative. When he reached for positive images he could only fasten on the reverse of what he saw about him; and such ideals he affixed to places remote in either time or space. Burgh could also envision a popular uprising when continued disregard of the need for consent demonstrated the lack of social order; Jamaica, Corsica, and possibly the American colonies were instances.
