Rage and the Republic: The Unfinished Story of the American Revolution

by Jonathan Turley

On the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, law professor, legal analyst, and bestselling author of The Indispensable Right Jonathan Turley explores how the unique origins of American democracy set it apart from other revolutions, whether it can survive and thrive in the 21st century, and how the unfinished story of the revolution will play out in a rapidly changing world.

This is a book about revolutions. Most countries are the progeny of revolution. At the birth of this nation, the Founding Fathers faced the quintessential question of how do you keep democracy from devolving into violent anarchy or brutal despotism? Drawing on little-known facts from the founding, Jonathan Turley reveals how the United States escaped the cycles of violence and instability that plagued other democratic movements, from ancient Athens to 19th-century France.

As the nation approaches a new era marked by artificial intelligence, robotics, and profound economic shifts, America must again withstand the pressure of radical forces that seek to curtail our natural liberties under the guise of popular reform. In this crisis of faith, many politicians and pundits are questioning the very principles of American democracy, and some law professors are even calling for scrapping the Constitution.

Synthesizing sources from history to philosophy to the arts, Turley offers a hopeful account of how the lessons of the past can guide us through today’s “crisis of faith” in democracy and see us into the future. He “From redcoats to robots, our challenges have changed. Yet, we have remained. Our greatest danger is not forgetting the history detailed in this book, but forgetting who we were in that history.”

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Politics, American Revolution, American History, American

448 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 3, 2026

About the author

Jonathan Turley is an American attorney, legal scholar, writer, commentator, and legal analyst in broadcast and print journalism.

Reviews

[Thomas George Phillips · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mr. Turley has written an excellent history of our Founding Fathers and what they may have changed in our Constitution if they were alive today. Mr. Turley has taken issues with both of our political parties on how they have governed the country over the years.

'Rage and the Republic: The Unfinished Story of the American Revolution' is a must read for readers who are fascinated with our democracy and how to retain it.

[Jeff J. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good analysis of what makes the American Revolution unique and worthy of protecting.

[Patrick Duran · Rating 5 out of 5]

Turley closes the book with the following: "We are bound by the revolutionary idea that government exists to allow every citizen to pursue one's own manifest destiny. As shown by Paine, we are our own greatest creations. What was true in 1776 is true today: These are revolutionary times, but we remain a revolutionary people." So aptly put. Turley writes an extraordinary historical perspective and the similarities to our current era. I suppose it should provide some "comfort" to a few citizens that people were just as crazy back then as they are now.

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got this book for free at Mr. Turley's Commonwealth Club appearance. I was intrigued to hear him and read this because I'd just finished a few books related to the French Revolution, which my US education left me quite ignorant of, and Mr. Turley does tease an exploration of the commonalities and differences of that episode and the one Americans know much more about.
Despite the first word in the title, it's not quite the exploration of "rage" it seems to be. Yes, there was some rage driving the forces in both 18th century America and, perhaps much more so, in France. But the connection to rage in the current era he seems to draw back from, in large part because he somehow manages to glide past most of the rage on the right. He is best talking about the tension between our right of free expression and the dangers of recent calls to somehow throttle it in the name of equity and harmony. But his credibility and power of his discussion loses power as he sidesteps many examples that come from the right. In the end he comes no closer to bridging the gulf between our polarized leaders and media than anyone else. I was hoping for more. I finish it still impressed by the breakthrough that was the Declaration of Independence and the durability of the checks and balances of our Constitution, and newly appreciative of the role of Thomas Paine. But I'm disappointed he just avoided the glaring lack of respect for those principles demonstrated time and again by our current President and his closest allies.

[Joe Greco · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rage and the Republic is a very important book that I hope will be read widely. Unfortunately, I think it will be a difficult read for many who could most benefit by it: young people and older folks who do not follow politics or economics closely and are susceptible to being swayed by those advocating “democratic socialism” or touting “democracy” as a cover for what are Marxist beliefs and a desire to undermine the moral, economic, and constitutional underpinnings of America.

Those who have read Jonathan Turley, the columnist, or seen Jonathan Turley, the TV pundit, know that he has a quick wit, a wonderful sense of humor, and an exceptional ability to explain complicated facts and arguments in a small amount of space in print or a short amount of time on the air. But I would characterize this book as having been written by Jonathan Turley, the law professor. It is replete with minute historical and factual detail, and much repetition, not unlike what one would find in articles in academic journals or law reviews.

In my opinion, two of the most important political and economic books of the Twentieth Century were F. A. Hayek’s The Road to Serfdom and Joseph Schumpeter’s Capitalism, Socialism and Democracy, both first published during World War II. In terms of readability, Rage and the Republic is somewhere between the two (of course, it’s hard to imagine anything more dense or difficult than Schumpeter’s writing). Every college student should read those two books and should also read Rage and the Republic. But since the publication of those books, conservatives and true liberals--who value free speech and diversity of thought--have funded through tax dollars and donated to American colleges and universities while they have been taken over by left-wing idealogues (as Turley points out). And therein lies the problem: How does the word get out when those controlling academia and their disciples in the legacy media not only will be unwilling to allow it but may very well seek to actively suppress it as “disinformation” or the like?

Maybe Turley the columnist and Turley the pundit are the modern-day analogues of Thomas Paine, writing or speaking something that can be accessed by a relatively wide swath of the general population. And maybe Turley views Rage and the Republic as the detailed foundation that supports his more accessible opinions and arguments. If so, I get it, and hopefully it will work. But if he does write more books in the future, I hope that in terms of readability, they will tend more toward Hayek and less toward Schumpeter.

[Fer Prz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I pre-ordered this book prior to its release because I was really interested in apoplectic and politically charged books published in 2026. I don’t know why. It’s just entertaining. My “read” shelve will speak for itself.

However this book was a detailed explanation and history of the United States, through the lens of Thomas Paine. The main argument in this book is how natural rights, individuality, and liberty are the core principles that ensures the survivability of the United States through the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. While arguing against true democracy, which can lead to a tyranny of the majority.

Paine was a pioneer that oversaw the revolution in the United States and France. The author does a brilliant job explaining how the foundations of the constitution ensured enough individuality and liberty to transition from revolution to republic through democratically elected government. The contrast is the French Revolution that given its historical context, could not transition from the revolution state and would remain in a state of rage. Revolutionary figures would ultimately turn from a tyranny of the majority to a tyranny of one. None other than Napoleon Bonaparte.

Rage can be triggered by the press, politicians, and academia.

The warning from Jonathan Turley is protecting those individual rights and liberty against rage just as it has been done across 250 years.

There’s so much I learned by reading this book. It exceeded my expectations.

[sniksnak · Rating 3 out of 5]

In honor of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, this book stands as a crucial reminder of the bedrock of America’s greatness. This foundation is deeply embedded in respect for unchanging human nature, God given rights, and a constitutional framework that channels passion into prosperity and freedom. It calls upon every patriot to steadfastly guard against those who seek to unravel this ongoing revolution, ensuring that liberty, rather than license or an overbearing state, defines our future.
This book is both informative and insightful. However, I have two significant critiques. Firstly, the author often refers to the United States as a democracy, which contradicts the title of his book. We are, in fact, a REPUBLIC. The word ‘democracy’ does not appear anywhere in our Constitution. Secondly, his approach leans more towards civil libertarianism, influenced by his Democratic background. He asserts that this perspective is analytical, not partisan, and aligns with his history of critiquing power abuses from any source.

[Michael Carver · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not normally what I read, but I really enjoyed seeing things from a different perspective.

Some of my favorite quotes:

Page 85-86:
"Where the ancient Greeks saw the demos as a "collectivized monarch," Madison saw an alternative in a tripartite system exercising representational powers. If there is a single overriding purpose to the Madisonian system, it is to prevent the concentration of power in any one person or one branch. That purpose was achieved through the division of powers in a system of checks and balances to avoid what Jefferson described as "an elective despotism," which he noted "was not the government we fought for." Instead, he said that citizens had learned from experience that the best government could be found in authority "divided and balanced among several bodies f magistracy, as that no one could transcend their legal limits, without being effective checked and restrained by the others." Madison believed that the division of governmental authority on multiple levels (including through federalism) created a "compound republic" that would serve as a "double security" for the rights of citizens. Notable, one of Madison's greatest regrets was that he failed to secure one additional check in this compound republic: a national veto of state legislation. Madison was well aware of the factional interests raging on the state level as well as the ability of states to target minority rights. He wanted the national government to be able to heck such abusive measures, but the "federal negative" proved arguably his greatest loss in the drafting of the Constitution."


Page 148:
"Executions reached a height in the fall of 1793 when as many as forty thousand people were killed. This included figures like Olympe de Gouges, a playwright who championed women's rights and wrote the Declaration of the Rights of Women and Citizenesses. She earned the ire of the Mountain by writing The Three Urns, suggesting that citizens be allowed to vote in a referendum on the best form of government among the three estates. Ironically, she had previously called out the Jacobins for the absence of women in government positions, asserting, "If a woman has the right to mount the scaffold she also has the right to mount the tribune." The Mountain lethally proved her point by sending her to the scaffold on November 3rd, 1793. She reportedly remained defiant to the end, bravely challenging the crowd to the point that one onlooker remarked that they were now "killing intelligence."

Page 211:
"Jill Lepore praised the attack on rights by Greene, adding, "Until Americans can reimagine rights, there is no path forward, and there is, especially, no way to get race right. No peace, no justice."

"Free speech is a particularly common target for those who seek to trade off freedoms for safety or the general social good."

page 212:
"The Internet model of free speech is little more than cacophony, where the loudest, most provocative, or most unlikeable voice dominates... If we want to protect free speech, we should not only resist the attempt to remake college campuses in the image of the Internet, but consider the benefits of remaking the Internet in the image of the university."

Page 213:
" Every person has the right to freedom of expression, association, peaceful assembly, and petition of the government for redress of grievances, consistent with the rights of others to the same and subject to responsibility for abuses. All conflicts of such rights shall be resolved in accordance with the principle of equality and dignity of all persons. Both the freedom of religion and the freedom from religion shall be respected by the government. The government may not single out any religion for interference or endorsement, nor may it force any person to accept or adhere to any religious belief or practice."

[Gary Evins · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an important book. It is a scholarly work. It will take a commitment by readers to get through some sections such as the French Revolution, but Professor Turley brings it all together. Very timely, very comprehensive, it is worth the read.

[Eric C 1965 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book about the author of Common Sense, Tom Pain(e), and the opponents of rage-based politics like Jacobin like Politics like the French Revolution. Read this to understand why the American Revolution was different than the French.

[Nolan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I knew before I even started listening that this was going to be a treat. I'd caught Jonathan Turley on a podcast interview, and right away I knew this was a book I had to experience—I was ordering it from my public library long before the interview wrapped up. It arrived astonishingly fast, and it absolutely delivered—five stars, no question.

Turley argues that the United States owes its survival to two very different revolutionaries: Thomas Paine and James Madison. He centers mostly on Paine, the fiery advocate for unrestrained democracy, but stresses that Madison's steady hand made all the difference. Without Madison's checks and balances, Turley warns, the American Revolution might have veered into something closer to the French Revolution—godless, chaotic, and ultimately tyrannical in the name of "freedom" that liberated no one.

From the introduction onward, Turley paints a sobering picture of what could lie ahead for the United States, depending on the choices we make as citizens. He quotes the dangers plainly:

“As shown by the abuses of the twelve-member Committee of Public Safety during the French Revolution, democracy often leads to nondemocratic concentration of authority in the few—tyranny exercised in the name of democracy. Ultimately, it included banning workers from forming their own unions or “trooping together” as a threat to the state. That mutation of democracy can then supply the perfect conditions for the emergence of a Napoléon or a Hitler—dictators who assume office to the applause of citizens tired of unrest and uncertainty. The chilling reality is that history has shown that a free people can willingly, even happily, surrender political and individual rights when the right conditions are present.

“If American democracy is to survive in the twenty-first century, it must, again, break this cycle. The country—and the world—are facing profound economic and social changes. The causes may be different in the form of robotics or AI, but the challenge remains the same in maintaining political stability during a period of economic unrest with hard-stratified class divisions, subsistence income, and greater social separation.”

This book struck me hard because I can look around and see the evidence of everything Turley describes. I'm something of an outlier—I don't fully grasp the extreme discontent driving so many today. I live a pretty charmed life right now, and I'm keenly aware it could vanish in seconds. Still, I tend to step back and take the long view. I'm horrified by any sentiment that would reduce the Constitution to a mere piece of paper or trash. To me, those attitudes are clear signage at the dark gates leading to the republic's destruction.

What makes this book so valuable is that Turley articulates the very warnings I've felt in my soul for years—warnings that felt prescient and urgent during that interview. He never just recites dry history like someone rushing through a lecture. He guides you through both the American and French revolutions with vivid, accessible detail—key players, pivotal moments, the whole sweep. You don't need a law degree to follow along; his style is clear and engaging. I picked up more about Thomas Paine's life, his meteoric rise with “Common Sense” in 1776, and his later fall from grace than I'd ever known, and every chapter held my attention.

Chapter One introduces “the true Paine”—an outsider who realized early he was a far better writer than scholar. Turley even shares a poem Paine wrote at age eight about the death of his pet crow. From there, Paine leaped to influential pamphlets that reshaped the political world. Turley traces his influence during the Revolution and his decline afterward, tied to his push for unchecked democracy.

He draws clear parallels to today's calls to scrap the Constitution as outdated, demanding a more direct, Athenian-style system. But as Turley shows in Chapter Four, Athens was no paradise—it was riddled with political violence, instability, and exclusion.

The book offers a sharp history of the French Revolution and contrasts it starkly with the American one, with somber warnings: modern voices pushing to abolish the Constitution or redefine free speech in harmful ways could plant the seeds for French-style chaos.

Chapter Eight examines today's media landscape unflinchingly. Early American newspapers were openly partisan, but The New York Times once aimed higher. Now, activist journalism dominates many schools, and objectivity is dismissed by some. Turley writes:

“Politicians, professors, and the press are all key channels of information for the public, shaping discourse in the United States. The radical messaging, particularly in the counter-constitutional movement, can no longer be dismissed as a few marginal radicalized voices. It is a pattern previously seen in this and other countries, though it is not clear where this trend will take us. That is precisely the problem.”

Later chapters tackle proposals to reshape or eliminate the Supreme Court, discard the Constitution entirely, and more. Those sections were tough to get through—part of me wanted to shout, “Can't you see the tyrannical dangers you're steering toward?”

One standout chapter explores massive economic shifts from robotics and AI, which could intensify pressure to ignore the Constitution's careful balances. Turley introduces Milton Friedman's ideas on Universal Basic Income—concepts new to me—and the discussion kept me riveted.

I'm among the optimists who believe it's not too late. I see, at least in certain pockets of our society, a reawakening of faith among young people—and without that faith, the American Constitution is already dead and useless. Turley masterfully sums up the book's core message in his conclusion, offering both the warning I've felt and the hope for escape:

“The voices today challenging core institutions and rights are the same voices that have echoed throughout our history. They are the voices of the faithless; citizens who believe that their grievances or fears are unprecedented and transcendent. In the twenty-first century, this country will have to deal with a crisis of faith that has few parallels since the founding. We can remain in the shelter of the “happy port” of the Founders, or we can set ourselves adrift in the tempest of democratic despotism.”

We need more clear, careful voices like Turley's to guide us away from that pending darkness. I'm still shaking my head in wonder that so few seem to have read it yet—Goodreads shows under 400 people have marked it as read, despite its instant New York Times bestseller status and timely message. This one deserves way more attention.

[Paul Sand · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gearing up for Amaerica's 250th birthday, I guess, I've been reading a decent number of books about the Founders, the Constitution, the Revolution, etc. I'm also kind of a fan of Jonathan Turley, whose conservative/libertarian take on current events at his website closely matches my own. And I read and enjoyed his previous book, The Indispensible Right last year. So…

This one is a veritable pinball machine of topics. I find it difficult to summarize, but a major theme is "democratic despotism", the tendency of factions who knit together enough people-power to rule over, oppress, and even kill their opponents. Turley takes a close look at Thomas Paine, whose Common Sense pamphlet was one of the major drivers of the American Revolution. Great! But Paine's overall political philosophy rightfully worried founders like Madison, who (correctly) speculated about how it would quickly lead to violent mobocracy. It's pretty clear that America dodged a bullet despotism-wise, although it was a close shave. (One of Turley's anecdotes involves Declaration-signer/Constitution-writer James Wilson, whose patriotic bona fides were beyond question, but nevertheless nearly became a victim of a Philadelphia drunken mob in 1779.)

And Paine eventually absconded to France, where (despite not knowing French) he became a moving force behind their revolution. And, well, we all know what happened. In the words of Jacques Mallet du Pan: "Like Saturn, the Revolution devours its children." (That quote is the book's epigraph.) Turley does a fine job of describing why the result was known as the Terror. (And might make the reader look askance at Jacobin magazine, influential on America's left wing.) Paine escaped with his life, but it was a (another) close shave. Returning to America, he never regained the respectability or influence he had in 1776, and died largely unmourned.

But there's a lot of other stuff going on in the book, too: a look back at the origins of democracy in ancient Greece (it didn't work well). And a look at the current state of affairs in America, where the enthusiasm for "democracy" seems to to invariably nudge people toward oppression of opponents and violence.

Turley views our AI/robotic future with some trepidation, worrying that we're headed quickly toward an era of mass unemployment. Could be! But America has had massive economic sector-shifts in the past, accompanied by similar predictions of doom, but that's been handled pretty well, albeit not painlessly. But (of course) this time could be different; see what you think.

[Alex Shrugged · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. It started off as a history of the French Revolution and a biography of Thomas Paine. He was a rabble rouser and such people, while good in disrupting a bad regime, thereafter they are no good when bringing back stability after the revolution. Thomas Paine discovered this and went to France to help with their revolution... and Paine got his wish. They did what he thought they ought to do and found out what a bloodbath his ideas would produce. He almost lost his own head. Many others who were the victimizers soon became the victims of their own brutality and were beheaded. That is what we (thankfully) missed in the American Revolution by following the more moderate voices who knew how bad things could get if they didn't gain control over the violence.

But while writing, the author was disturbed by the current protests against President Trump. The author is not a Trump supporter, but he did notice the similarities between how the French Revolution got out of control and how we might get out of control today and unleash something terrible.

I agree.

You might say, "But Alex, we are not like those French people 250 years ago (or so). We are much smarter now!. Yeah. Sure you are. You may be able to operate an espresso machine with alacrity, but human nature remains human nature.

I suggest reading:

"The Wave" by Todd Strasser. Based on actual events in an extremely liberal, forward-looking town. They found how intelligent people (and they were very intelligent) could be turned to violence against each other simple because "You aren't one of us."

"The True Believer: Thoughts on the Nature of Mass Movements" by Eric Hoffer. This is an amazing book about how any organization can be turned in various directions including the exact opposite direction in which they were headed with eyes wide open, knowing what they were doing. Scary. If you don't recognize you own organization in this book you just aren't paying attention... and you are ripe to be flipped.

I'd love to read this book again. Great stuff.

[Gilbert Stack · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anyone who pays even the slightest attention to politics these days will note that each side of the aisle appears to be growing more extreme and that the growing anger of left and right increasingly results in rhetoric and action that would have been completely unacceptable twenty years ago. Now, unfortunately, people shrug because that's just the way things are. And with the growing extremism is a coinciding desire to stop the other side from even making its arguments. It's dangerous for the future of our republic and now Jonathan Turley has brilliantly documented that this explosion of rage is not new, and he promises that there is still hope.

Turley begins with a look at the American and French Revolutions and effectively makes the case that there were tensions and interests pushing both revolutions toward extremism and violence. But the American Revolution avoided its own Reign of Terror and devolution into Democratic Despotism precisely because the founders strove to create a system of government that countered the impulse toward a tyranny of the majority. These checks and balances serve to protect the rights of minority political factions. These rights are not protected in unicameral systems so, ironically, those systems whose proponents argue are most democratic and sensitive to the will of the people historically became the most authoritarian and violent.

The last half of the book explores the current state of affairs in the United States and the challenges of the next few decades. The nation is facing very hard times and the confidence in critical institutions such as the branches of our government, our political parties, and our press are all at all-time lows. The willingness to talk about today's problems with people who do not agree with us is diminishing. While the number of people who believe that politically-motivated violence is justified continues to grow. And all the while, political leaders across the aisle stoke the fires of their constituents' rage for short term gain. Yet Turley has not given up hope and neither should we.

[Dennis R. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Professor Turley has rendered a great service to American history and political philosophy buffs and a warning of what lies ahead if we do not correct course on our downward spiral to political decay. The book is divided into two parts. First, Turley provides a lively history of both the French and American revolutions, the latter with an emphasis on the writings and life of Thomas Paine, a man more prolific for his literary works than the moral probity of his lifestyle. Turley delves deeply into the principles underlying the American constitution: free speech and balance of power with a heavy dose of limitations on democracy. What America built into its constitutional order the French rejected and the consequences were bloody. Pure democracy will inevitably lead to anarchy and then authoritarianism. That postulate is as certain as the laws of physics. The second half of the book is an examination of the current state of American political thought and actions and the degeneration of that thought into something akin to the French Revolution. Turley provides a litany of examples of the intellectual rot that has infested our universities, media, and corporate culture. Call it the woke revolution. By whatever name one calls it, it is not healthy. There is a concerted effort by intellectual elites to monopolize the channels of communication and to punish and ostracize people who do not toe the line. Rather than adhere to principles memorialized in our founding documents, rage and emotion have become the guiding principles of our so called betters and the Constitution be damned. In other words, the same poison that infected French society in the 1790's is percolating in the Untied States now. Every American concerned about the drift towards the "warmth of collectivism" should read this book. It serves as a warning of what will happen if our adherence to constitutional principles is abandoned for some fleeting love affair with the principles of anarchy.

[Gregory Van Den Berg · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was impressed by the author's journey through history. Unfortunately, he did not offer many solutions as to how to stop our own march in the United States towards a despot. It is unfortunate that all of the efforts of our founding fathers to prevenet a dispotic government has actually led us to this moment as evidenced by our current President and Congress. Even though the three branches of government were created to have checks and balances, what happens when two of the branches, the Supreme Court and Congress fail to live up to their responsibilities. Congress has abdicated their right to check the excecutive allowing this branch to run roughshod over the Constitution. The Declaration of Indendpence is not true. All men were not created equal. How could this be true when slavery was at its heights, only white men who were land owners were able to vote, and women did not have any rights in the society. Mr. Turley is an academic which mirrors his alternatives in his book. The reason I read this book was I heard him speak on NPR when he was a guest on the Commonwealth Club in California. He seemed to be a refreshing voice but after reading his book I discovered he was another academic we many academic qualifications but no real world experience only promoting himself and his writing. Fortunately, we are seeing the citizenry rising up in protest i.e. No Kings Rally. Our polictians have failed us enormously. We truly never had a democracy. Possibly, instead of listening to our elitist founding fathers, they should have listened to Thomas Paine and his Common Sense. What a shame he died in disgraced when he should have been hailed as a hero. Let us someone may rise and have common sense solutions like Thomas Paine.

[Hildie Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was not light reading, but full of really thorough explanations of democracy, mobocrasy, and how the "Rule of Many" can be a harmful unit itself, as well as how those morph into into dictatorships, autocracy, and worse. Basically, how the tyranny of the majority turns into a tyranny of one. The "Rage" of the title is explained through political rage triggered by the press, politicians, or from academia. He writes about this historically as well as in modern times. I also learned a lot about Thomas Paine, who was a most interesting person. A very flawed man, yes, but he lived through both the American Revolution and the French Revolution, which I didn't know. He saw first hand the successes and horrors of both (though one was decidedly more horrific by far). I also appreciated the contrast presented between him and James Madison, the "Father of the American Constitution." Both of them were part of the American Revolution, but had vastly different personalities, life experiences, and perspectives.

I did find this book to be a little long, and occasionally repetitive, though I understand he was linking the past to the future. I imagine that he wrote this as the Law Professor that he is, and not as the pundit he is on TV. Overall, I finished it freshly amazed by our Declaration of Independence (a breakthrough back then!), and the durability of the checks and balances of our Constitution, despite the challenges it faced and still faces (against free speech, for example). From the book: "Free speech is a particularly common target for those who seek to trade off freedoms for safety or the general social good." This is nothing new to our Constitutional Republic, and it's still a bulwark against the issues of today.

[Clifton Rankin · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Rage and the Republic: The Unfinished Story of the American Revolution,” by Georgetown Law Professor, Jonathan Turley, is a book of comparison and contrast. Part One of the book looks at the differences and similarities of two key figures of the American Revolution, Thomas Paine and James Madison. While Paine had much to do with the fervor of the Revolution because of his penning of “Common Sense,” Madison’s view of a Republic with checks and balances was vital in order that the government could last through the ebbs and flows of factional confrontations. Part Two compared the relatively stable revolution of the United States versus the mobocracy that almost burned France to the ground, and set the stage for the rise of Napoleon. Part Three looked at our present day and what lessons might be learned by looking back at that history. In my opinion the history sections were very informational, and showed the danger of what Turley called, “democratic despotism,” or the “tyranny of the majority.” The protections of a republic are necessary to guard the rights of those in the minority. Granted, in US history this did not always take place, but as the old Viginia Slims commercial used to say, “We’ve come a long way, baby!” I must admit that I flew through the history sections, and got bogged down in his present-day analysis, but I must say that it was an excellent book all in all. (412 pages) It made me appreciate Mr. Dauphine’s civics class all the more.

[Pamela Mogen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A hard "yes" in recommending Rage and the Republic by Jonathan Turley. so much so that I think a slimmed down version should be a required text and seminar topic in high school American history classes. Turley examines the horrifying events in America during the years between the Declaration on Independence and the adoption of the Constitution through the microcosm of the chaos in Philadelphia--events that I never heard of, even having grown up there. He examines the sources of raging factionalism there and then relates it to the historical witness of ancient Athens and on to that other contemporary center of revolution: Paris, France, where it metastasizes into the Terror and the Directorate. The uncanny similarities and cautions for our own time are obvious.

The movements of thought and philosophy during these times are helpfully tied to the events and men who influenced them. For America, Turley highlights Thomas Paine and James Madison and the influence of Voltaire, Rousseau, and the Jacobins on France. With a grasp of what happened in the late 18th century, Turley then turns to the modern United States.

Thoroughly researched with extensive bibliographical notes and index, this work from a highly respected law professor, columnist, analyst, and litigator is well worth the time of anyone who wishes to understand the times and where they come from.

[Romzanul Islam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rage and the Republic is one of those rare history books that feels urgent without feeling sensational.

Jonathan Turley doesn’t just retell the American Revolution — he reframes it. His central idea that the Founders were trying to protect "liberty", not simply celebrate democracy, gave me a completely new lens on 1776 and the Constitution.

The discussion of “democratic despotism” and Madison’s fear of concentrated power feels surprisingly relevant today.

What I appreciated most is how Turley connects Athens, Paris, and Philadelphia to modern pressures like political polarization and technological disruption. It never feels like forced comparison; it feels like historical continuity.

This isn’t a dry academic text, but it’s also not shallow commentary. It’s thoughtful, well-argued, and provocative in the best way.

If you enjoy political history that challenges your assumptions and makes you think about the present, this is absolutely worth your time.

I have more say at https://www.probinism.com/rage-and-th...

[Michael Grimme · Rating 5 out of 5]

I met Jonathan Turley recently at a commissioning of a bust of Benjamin Franklin at the Union League of Philadelphia celebrating our countries 250 year anniversary. In his presentation he touched on several points which are covered in more detail in his book.

I must say it is one of the most thought provoking books I have ever read. A deep dive into the forming of our nation during and after our revolution and a comparison with France’s revolution only a few years later. It shows the true genius of our well read students of history. Our “framers” were able to avoid the downfall of France’s first attempt at democracy that occurred only a few years after our own.

The second half of the book is also well done reflecting on today’s challenges with a global world, influences of social media and AI, and the attacks on free speech that can not be done through economic penalties on the corporate owners of these channels.

My only hope is that this book builds a huge audience. One it truly deserves.

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the focus on Thomas Paine and the history of the book. However, by the time we got to the modern times I did lose focus. I won't really say we are still fighting the Revolution, but more arguing the Constitutional Convention. Right now, we are still fighting on the definition of Constitutional Rights - Second Amendment having been given the most attention with gun violence in the form of mass shootings and an effective lobby in the NRA. However, in recent years citizenship, voting, and freedom of speech are now under attack. We need more people talking about the founding fathers and documents such as Paine's Common Sense and The Federalist Papers for more Americans to understand the intent at the time. Turley goes deeper into social media and the use of AI.

How did this book find me? I am working slowly on gathering documents for my DAR paperwork and have an interest in the American Revolution along with the deeper side of American politics.

[ccapasse · Rating 4 out of 5]

I skipped a few sections but all in all - a great read that compares and contrasts the American and French Revolutions as well as specific characters like Paine and Madison and others. This examination is all in an effort to consider the upcoming tests of the 21st century like globalism, and technological advancement integrating more and more into our lives.

My biggest takeaway from this read is that the Declaration of Independence (Paine’s perspective) informs our hearts towards liberty, the Constitution (Madison’s perspective) informs our mind of governing, and our hands (French Revolution’s failures) informs us of our humanity when attempting to apply both our heart and mind on our way of not only being an American but a free citizen. Lest we fall into “democratic despotism.” We cannot lose sight of being individual and local while still pursuing our unity with one another.

[Paul Vance · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was expecting a semiquincentennial focus on the Declaration and revolution. And yes this is covered but in unexpected ways. He contrasts Thomas Paine (revolutionary idealist) with James Madison (pragmatist) as the common thread. Mr. Turley takes the reader all the way back to Socrates, then forward with good coverage of the 1790's French revolution. He discusses the risks of pure democracy and mobocracy. And in the second half of the book he takes us to contemporary times and discusses our ability - and our constitutional structure's capacity - to deal with robots and AI and their impact on human employment in our society. A very thoughtful work.

[Bob Jenkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

I took this book due to the author, Jonathan Turley. I have watched him for a while on FOX News, and have come to respect him. He is associated with George Washington University.
Once started, I did not read the whole book, it was more of a text book read than a historical story. Full of facts on our founding fathers and especially Thomas Paine whose writings in the years before our revolution, provided much of the story line to our young “revolutionaries.” The book focused on our constitution, and is it lasting, is it going to be able to last and survive through these modern times that we are living through now.

[Chad · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not my favorite of Jonathan Turley’s excellent books, but it still earns five stars. The founding fathers knew this republic could only survive with active, engaged citizens—and right now we are losing that battle. Anyone who reads this will be better prepared to be an active participant in the civic journey the United States is on. The content isn’t easy, but it’s deeply worthwhile. I can’t imagine trying to pass one of Turley’s classes; the man knows his subject inside and out.

[kerri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Must read for all who believe in our Constitutional Republic!!! This book was written objectively, not taking sides but slightly leaning each direction. Although I’ve studied group think in the many military & business classes taken through out the years - but the transition to mob rule was fascinating. I am looking forward to reading his other book now.

[Olivia Mudrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great analysis of how rage fuels social change. So important today, and Turley was very objective with his modern critiques. Big focus on Thomas Payne as a symbol which was interesting. This really covered all the bases with the US and French revolutions to modern populist movements and AI. This book will age really well I think

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book discusses the differences between the American snd French Revolutions. America created a democratic republic with checks and balances. France created a tyranny of the majority which turned into a mobocracy. America is at a point where we must choose are we going to stay a democratic republic or will we be ruled by the tyranny of the majority.

[Nigel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Has an interesting section on the French Revolution. Was dissatisfied with the examples all of which are about the American left, with few examples of the American right. The historical examples are narrow.