Essay about The American Constitution

This volume, issued to commemorate the sixty-fifth birthday of one of the world’s most distinguished political scientists and jurists, contains a collection of writings by Alpheus T. Mason’s former students. The authors, who themselves form a company of authority and renown, render appreciation of Dr. Mason’s contributions to American political thought. From their pens come important new writings which form not only a tribute to their mentor, but serve to shed new and important perspectives on various aspects of American constitutionalism from the founding of the republic through to the present day. The essays deal with such topics as free government, federalism, foreign policy, and the impact of the American Constitution abroad. In his introduction to this collection, Gottfried Dietze speaks of the book as "a genuine Festschrift" which is presented to Professor Mason not only to celebrate his sixty-fifth birthday but also with the hope that he may take pleasure in the awareness that the free discussion which dominates his classes continues to prevail among those who were inspired by him and his work. In this manner of presenting new and important material by leading authorities on American constitutionalism, the reader is offered valuable writings in a diversity of branches of political science and jurisprudence. And to Professor Mason, may this tribute “. bring him assurance that the values he instilled and imparted still live among those he has taught, and allow him delight in the gift without necessitating suspension of the critical judgments which he was wont to apply to his sometime students and lifelong friends.” GOTTFRIED DIETZE, Professor of Political Science at The Johns Hopkins University, is the author of The Federalist: A Classic on Federalism and Free Government and In Defense of Property, which have received wide recognition. He was educated in Europe and the United States, receiving doctorates in law from the University of Heidelberg, in politics from Princeton University, and in juridical science from the University of Virginia. Mr. Dietze has lectured widely in Europe, the Far East, and the United States.