The political thought of Frederick Douglass : in pursuit of American liberty /

In his excellent new work, Buccola (Linfield College) explores the foundations of the political theory of Frederick Douglass. Buccola executes a substantive intellectual investigation into the life of Douglass to clearly articulate the core philosophy of liberalism. This work goes further than describing the fact of his early enslavement in order to demonstrate how that status profoundly affected Douglass's evolution as a political philosopher. Freedom, defined as the ability of a person to determine for oneself how to act, is fundamental to Douglass, as is his fear of those who misuse their freedom to oppress others, thus making government necessary for the stability of society. Understanding the impact of his enslavement upon other core political concepts such as equality and democracy allows readers to perceive how his life experiences led to a firm commitment to liberalism. This is a well-written, incisive work that illuminates Frederick Douglass as an activist and political philosopher. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All readership levels. K. Anderson Eastern Illinois University