William B. Allen

Summary: Dr. Allen examined The Federalist Papers as an accessible approach to the principles of the United States government. When looking at The Federalist Papers or the documents of the Constitutional Convention of 1787, one realizes that the writers of these documents knew what they were doing. After examining the operation of present-day government, it would be surprising if we could speak with equal confidence about the people who operate the institutions of the United States today. The authors of The Federalist Papers and Constitutional Convention documents can help us understand the current principles and practices of the American government – as intended and accomplished.

William B. Allen is a Professor of Political Science at Michigan State University. His latest book is The Federalist Papers: A Commentary (Peter Lang Publishing). Dr. Allen served as Director of the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia from June 1998 through August 1999, while on leave from Michigan State. Previously, Dr. Allen served as Dean and Professor at James Madison College at Michigan State University. Dr. Allen has also published Let the Advice Be Good: A Defense of Madison’s Democratic Nationalism (1993). He has edited several collections, including George Washington: A Collection, The Works of Fisher Ames, and the Essential Antifederalist. Dr. Allen has been a Fulbright Fellow, A Kellogg National Fellow, and has received the international Prix Montesquieu.