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| Weehawken dueling grounds, New Jersey |
Ron Chernow’s Alexander Hamilton is a masterpiece of a biography. Chernow presents this complicated man without shying away from those complications, or relying on overly reductionist explanations of why Hamilton could be so noble at certain time, and petty at others.
In this way, Hamilton was no more or less like any other person. But as a public figure, and as one of the founders, his actions were writ large. So, his highs were high, and his lows, low. This should be familiar: our leaders suffer the same extremes.
Chernow’s biography is instructive not only about Hamilton, but about the entire founding generation. They were men (all were men) capable of selfless, statesman-like behavior. But they were also petty, mean, and held lifelong grudges against their perceived enemies.
What we call the spirit of partisanship was rampant in those early days, especially in Washington’s second term. It threatened to tear our young republic apart, just as its similar form of political polarization today places our country in existential jeopardy.
In this way, Hamilton was no more or less like any other person. But as a public figure, and as one of the founders, his actions were writ large. So, his highs were high, and his lows, low. This should be familiar: our leaders suffer the same extremes.
Chernow’s biography is instructive not only about Hamilton, but about the entire founding generation. They were men (all were men) capable of selfless, statesman-like behavior. But they were also petty, mean, and held lifelong grudges against their perceived enemies.
What we call the spirit of partisanship was rampant in those early days, especially in Washington’s second term. It threatened to tear our young republic apart, just as its similar form of political polarization today places our country in existential jeopardy.
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