5 Books Every Politician Should Read- From Thomas Jefferson’s Library
I recently visited the Library of Congress where they have compiled a collection of Thomas Jefferson’s personal library. It was awe inspiring to see the thousands of centuries old books that were read by our third president and author of the Declaration of the Independence. I was reminded of a simple phrase “leaders are readers” and realized the depth of principled thought and debate that took place in building a nation that would stand the test of time.
What worries me today is that many of our elected officials do not make decisions out of principle, but out of short-sighted emotion. This happens on all sides of the aisle with every branch of government. Baseless ideologies that shift with every election is not the way to effectively lead a nation. Our founding fathers were steeped in ancient wisdom and philosophy and they encouraged intellectual debate and discourse, framing a Constitution that remains the foundation of America.
“On matters of style, swim with the current, on matters of principle, stand like a rock.” Thomas Jefferson
While the list below doesn’t even scratch the surface, it is a start. The entire catalog of Jefferson’s library can be found here, but I’ll briefly list five books that I think should be read by every politician:
1. The Republic by Cicero (54 BC)
This is one of the earliest remaining works dealing with government and justice. It was a favorite among the founding fathers. Jefferson referred to Cicero as the “father of eloquence and philosophy” and his ideas on constitutional liberties undoubtedly made an impact.
The book can be difficult to comprehend due to its age and Socratic style, but one of the main themes is the idea of a blended government. Cicero looks at the advantages of monarchies, aristocracies and democracies and imagines a potential for a mixed state. Fast forward 1800 years, and the framers of the Constitution implemented these ideas into the American system of government.
“The higher we are placed, the more humbly we should walk.” Cicero
2. Meditations by Marcus Aurelius (180 AD)
This is a lighter read compared to the rest, but one of the favorites among classic literature. Marcus Aurelius was a Roman Emperor, known as one of the “good emperors” and “a philosopher king.” The work consists of a private journal kept by the emperor, full of proverbs and self guidance. Now seen as a pillar of Stoicism, the founding fathers used this wisdom to avoid the hypocrisy of kings and uphold the values of decency and self-restraint.
“Waste no more time arguing about what a good man should be. Be one.” Marcus Aurelius
3. Two Treatises of Government by John Locke (1689)
John Locke was an English philosopher who greatly shaped our founding fathers. Locke argues against the doctrine of “divine right of kings” which was the prevailing belief at the time and uses Christian scripture to reason that the only legitimate governments are those with the consent of the people.
It was John Locke who first popularized the idea of basic human rights being life, liberty and property; which Jefferson took and edited for the Declaration of Independence.
“Men being, as has been said, by nature, all free, equal, and independent, no one can be put out of this estate, and subjected to the political power of another, without his own consent.”
4. The Wealth of Nations by Adam Smith (1776)
First published in 1776, this robust work presents economic theory and principles that are in effect to this day. Smith conducted extensive research in order to compile the reasons why some countries thrived, and others did not. He promotes the use of free trade, division of labor, capital accumulation and limited government intervention.
While some founding fathers like Alexander Hamilton argued against many of these ideas, Jefferson claimed that The Wealth of Nations was the best book to read about money and commerce. To this day, it remains an important work to grasp and understand its underlying principles.
“Plenty of good land, and liberty to manage their own affairs … seem to be … two great causes of the prosperity of all new colonies.” Adam Smith
5. The Bible
While historians may debate on the faith of our founding fathers, there is no question that they knew their Bibles cover to cover. The Bible was the most widely revered and read book at the time and doubtless impacted how the founding fathers made decisions. Jefferson famously cut out the miracles of Jesus from his personal Bible because he didn’t believe them to be true, but that proves he believed and valued everything else. John Adams called it “the best book in the world.”
From the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20 to Paul’s writings on governmental authority in Romans 13, the Christian scriptures were deeply embedded in the hearts of America’s founders, who then embedded those principles into the Constitution. Because of this, elected officials must understand The Bible, regardless of religion, in order to lead effectively.
“Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.” Romans 13:7
Again, this hardly scratches the surface of the vast collection of literature studied by our nation’s early leadership. Jefferson himself said, “I was bold in the pursuit of knowledge, never fearing to follow truth and reason whatever results they led.”
Today, we find ourselves in trying times; and my hope and prayer is that today’s leaders will be active in seeking truth and wisdom. Not seeking their own advantage, but the advantage of the country and future generations.
