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The Once and Future King: The Rise of Crown Government in America Paperback – June 23, 2015

by F. H. Buckley (Author)

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This remarkable book shatters just about every myth surrounding American government, the Constitution, and the Founding Fathers, and offers the clearest warning about the alarming rise of one-man rule in the age of Obama.

Most Americans believe that this country uniquely protects liberty, that it does so because of its Constitution, and that for this our thanks must go to the Founders, at their Convention in Philadelphia in 1787.

F. H. Buckley’s book debunks all these myths. America isn’t the freest country around, according to the think tanks that study these things. And it’s not the Constitution that made it free, since parliamentary regimes are generally freer than presidential ones. Finally, what we think of as the Constitution, with its separation of powers, was not what the Founders had in mind. What they expected was a country in which Congress would dominate the government, and in which the president would play a much smaller role.

Sadly, that’s not the government we have today. What we have instead is what Buckley calls Crown government: the rule of an all-powerful president. The country began in a revolt against one king, and today we see the dawn of a new kind of monarchy. What we have is what Founder George Mason called an “elective monarchy,” which he thought would be worse than the real thing.

Much of this is irreversible. Constitutional amendments to redress the balance of power are extremely unlikely, and most Americans seem to have accepted, and even welcomed, Crown government. The way back lies through Congress, and Buckley suggests feasible reforms that it might adopt, to regain the authority and respect it has squandered.

The Once and Future King: The Rise of Crown Government in America

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Editorial Reviews

Review

A powerfully argued indictment of the growth of executive power in Great Britain and its former colonies, the United States and Canada. Buckley’s book is greatly enhanced by his expert knowledge of the constitutions and politics of these three English-speaking nations. He shows, as few scholars have, just how much of the time we live in a fog and create results we never intended.

— Gordon Wood, Brown University, author of The Radicalism of the American Revolution

The Once and Future King deals with constitutional issues at a more serious level than almost anything else I have read recently. The prose, moreover, is elegant and flowing. This is a beautifully written, very interesting, and largely persuasive book.

— Philip Hamburger, Columbia Law School, author of Separation of Church and State

The book is immensely enjoyable to read and to think about. It’s a bracing read, in every way.

— Sanford V. Levinson, University of Texas School of Law, author of Our Undemocratic Constitution: Where the Constitution Goes Wrong (and How We the People Can Correct It)

This is a bold and willfully provocative critique of American presidential power, how and why it got to be that way, and what we can do to change it. Buckley takes no prisoners in his trip back to the American founding, with forays into the British and Canadian political systems, questioning all the conventional pieties and received wisdom along the way. If history truly is an argument without end, this is a new entry in the debate.

— Joseph J. Ellis, Mt. Holyoke, author of Founding Brothers and Revolutionary Summer

The Once and Future King is a work of virtuoso scholarship—bold, iconoclastic, and practical-minded in the spirit of the Framers themselves.

— Christopher DeMuth, Distinguished Fellow, Hudson Institute

--This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

About the Author

F. H. Buckley is the author of The Morality of Laughter (University of Michigan Press), Just Exchange: A Theory of Contract (Routledge), and Fair Governance (Oxford University Press). A native Canadian, he lives in Alexandria, Virginia, with his wife, Esther, and teaches at George Mason School of Law in Arlington, Virginia.

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Product details

Paperback: 416 pages
Publisher: Encounter Books (June 23, 2015)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1594037930
ISBN-13: 978-1594037931
Product Dimensions: 6 x 1.1 x 8.9 inches
Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,351,858 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #806 in Books > Politics & Social Sciences > Politics & Government > Political Science > Constitutions
- #2244 in Books > Politics & Social Sciences > Politics & Government > Ideologies & Doctrines > Democracy
- #8589 in Books > Politics & Social Sciences > Politics & Government > United States

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Customer Reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars

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Top Customer Reviews

Insightful book enjoyed it very much.

Byoldfarton April 20, 2014

Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase

The editorial reviews are spot on.

While reading the first four chapters of this book I was not quite sure where the author was going with this line of thought. Chapter five does a masterful job of linking the thrust of the book together pointing out that Britain, Canada and the United States current political systems come from the same root but took three different paths of political organization. Each has ended up in the same place with centralization of real power in one person.

While he offers some solutions, it is mentioned that throughout history, once power is grated to a certain position it is difficult for that position to give, or share that power. There is a brief mention of the influence of social media and changes in technology. I feel there was a missed opportunity to expound on the influence of global communications with the instant sharing of data AND identification of ‘enemies’ to the incumbent retaining that power.

11 comment 9 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you?YesNo

A different and compelling perspective on American problems today.

Bystephen a. ernston October 7, 2014

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

Buckley makes a solid case for the British type parliamentary system vs. the US type three houses of government headed by an all powerful chief executive. All the arguments are clear and backed up by various readings of historical events in England, Canada and the USA. I have long wondered why our congress has abdicated so much power to the executive and the administrative departments, and Buckley here answered all of my questions to my satisfaction. Here in the US today we suffer from deadlock in congress and an executive who ignores the presently understood constitution. Buckley develops the historical background for this state of affairs, and draws parallels with the UK and Canada, with touches here and there of the other commonwealth nations. Buckley develops his case for the US currently using a third version of our constitution, showing clearly how the needs and solutions evolved from the days of our founding fathers to the present. This is a very good read, never dull or pedantic, and I highly recommend it to those who, like me, wonder what the heck is going on in Washington these days.

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THE ONCE AND FUTURE KING is supported in its thesis by great supporting data and argumentation.

ByJack Sember Lewison March 26, 2015

Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase

It ranks with a like volume in its boldness and in the VOLUME of its supporting material. The like volume which readers of this book would enjoy immensely is THE ROYALIST REVOLUTION, by Eric Nelson of Harvard. The depth and breadth of his historical backgrounding and supporting lengthy footnotes is stunning, Last but not least, Nelson's writing style is bracing and free of academic jargon.

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How our government reached its current condition

ByJames C. Casterlineon September 7, 2015

Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase

This book provides an interesting view of the evolution of u.s. government, not all of it complimentary. Much that we have didn't necessarily have to happen. Some of that which we accept in our government came about indirectly or perhaps accidentally. I found the book interesting though not that easy to read.

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A very good book about the history of Anglophone governments

ByPilotPatrioton June 19, 2016

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

This book is a very good overview of the history of how American, British and Canadian governments evolved. The author also outlines a way Americans can roll back crown government and restore the constitution.

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A Sobering Volume

ByRushad Thomason August 5, 2015

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

This book outlines the very clear and present danger to liberty of presidential regimes like our own. It is exceedingly well-written, but will leave you very disheartened about the prospects for freedom in our land. All Liberty-loving Americans should read this book.

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Marvelous history

Bydeditoron August 9, 2014

Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase

Superbly researched, clearly written, new material. Good for the average consumer and the professional historian. Especially, for 31 year fledgling newspaper editors that strive for historical accuracy. Good show.

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Five Stars

Bydallasagrarianon February 7, 2017

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

Want to know how we ended up with rule by Executive Orders? Read this book!

0CommentWas this review helpful to you?YesNo

Most Recent Customer Reviews

Essential

Clear-eyed and insightful analysis. Essential reading as the Article V convention movement's momentum increases.

Published 10 months ago by Edgar

Not exactly what I expected

I enjoyed the book but it wasn't what I expected. That's my fault and not the fault of the author. I really thought this would be more heavily weighted on how forces in American...Read more

Published 12 months ago by Mark Sutter

If this is true, America is in Trouble.

If this is true, America is in trouble.

Published on November 27, 2014 by buffalo ed

Five Stars

surprising historical info.

Published on November 2, 2014 by W

Four Stars

Excellent read. Very informative. An added value was that it is written by a Canadian living in America.

Published on September 2, 2014 by Tom Z.

Interesting Book, a little too long for its scope

An interesting book that could have been much shorter and just as effective. Glad I bought it. I will skim it then use as a reference.

Published on August 11, 2014 by So Cal

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