One of the most important books in the history of democracy and constitutionalism – The Federalist, written by Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison – has been published in Polish for the first time.
Thanks to the support of the Liberty Fund and the Economic Freedom Foundation (EFF), Polish readers now have access to a work that has had a substantial influence on the political system of the United States and continues to inspire advocates of liberty, representative government, and the rule of law.
Why Read The Federalist Today?
The Federalist is one of the foundational texts of Western political thought. It offers a deep insight into the origins of modern constitutionalism: the protection of individual liberty, the separation of powers, the rule of law, and the idea of accountable government.
As Blazej Moder, the EFF Board Chairman and the initiator of the Polish edition, notes in the introduction, it was the unique combination of ideas and institutions that determined the success of the American constitutional project:
The history of the Western world is inseparably linked to certain intellectual currents that form the foundations of this civilization. […] The canon of political doctrines undoubtedly includes ancient Greek and Roman thought, as well as Christian political philosophy. […] One of the intellectual phenomena that changed not only the fate of a single country or continent, but also that of the world as a whole, was the founding of the United States of America.
Moder also emphasizes the practical relevance of the book:
We are placing in the hands of readers an extraordinary work which, we hope, will inspire reflection on the power of ideas in shaping the state, the role of law, the process by which it is made, and the social, political, and economic consequences that follow.
Voices That Shaped Modern Constitutionalism
The essays published under the shared pseudonym “Publius” – behind which stood Hamilton, Madison, and Jay – were written in 1787–1788 to argue for the ratification of the U.S. Constitution, with a primary focus on persuading the citizens of New York. Today, they continue to impress with their intellectual depth, analytical precision, and realistic understanding of political institutions.
As James Madison famously observed:
The accumulation of all powers, legislative, executive, and judiciary, in the same hands – whether of one, a few, or many, and whether hereditary, self-appointed, or elective – may justly be pronounced the very definition of tyranny (Federalist No. 47).
The Polish edition of The Federalist appears at a time of an intense public debate in Poland about constitutional order, the rule of law, and the limits of public authority.
According to Blazej Moder, following the lives and decisions of the Founding Fathers remains endlessly fascinating:
What wisdom, insight, and determination were required to lay the foundations of a state that, little more than a century after its founding, became a global power.
Scholarly Context and Publication Details
Professor Tomasz Tulejski, the academic editor of the Polish edition, describes The Federalist as a monumental expression of the Atlantic political and constitutional tradition. He notes that the essays established a canon of classical American political thought, offering enduring reflections on human nature, liberty, property, systems of government, and the responsibility of those in power.
In the afterword, Professor Tulejski emphasizes that Hamilton, Madison, and Jay profoundly shaped the political mindset of the modern Western world.
The English-language edition on which the Polish version is based was first published in 2001 by the Liberty Fund, Inc. The Polish edition is published with the consent of Liberty Fund, Inc. and was co-financed by the Liberty Fund and the Economic Freedom Foundation.
The Polish publisher is Wydawnictwo Nieoczywiste. Translation: Janusz Stawinski. Academic editor and author of the afterword: Prof. Tomasz Tulejski, University of Lodz.
More information about the book is available on the website of Wydawnictwo Nieoczywiste>>
More information about The Federalist (Gideon edition) can be found on the Liberty Fund website >>