Exploring the words and ideas of such thinkers as Madison, Jefferson, Hamilton, and Tocqueville, Muir discusses the nature and limits of three types of power coercive, reciprocal, and moral and then uses this framework to explain how American political institutions work.
Muir's meditation on power and personal freedom is a gateway for readers to take their study of politics to the next level. His inductive style, engaging readers with well-chosen and masterfully written stories, lets him draw out and distill key lessons without being preachy.