Stanford historian Dan Edelstein takes an even deeper historical dive in his book titled “The Revolution to Come: A History of an Idea from Thucydides to Lenin.” In Edelstein’s view, the American Revolution followed the playbook of 17th-century British revolutions that emphasized the Greek historian Polybius’s belief in “the well-balanced constitution.” The constraints on monarchical power following the English Revolution of the 1640s and the Glorious Revolution of 1688 shaped the American founders’ belief in checks and balances to create “a more perfect Union.” In 1787, the founders created a constitution designed to prevent future “disunion.” Key amendments enacted in the wake of the American Civil War in the mid-19th century and the Civil Rights movements in the mid-20th century show the power of amendment to promote progress without revolution.
Author: February 24, 2026
Published at: 2026-02-24 00:00:00
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