Brian Steele. Thomas Jefferson and American Nationhood

Brian Steele concludes the introduction to his book by noting that although “the world may not need another book about Thomas Jefferson,” he hopes this one “may offer a way of envisioning [Jefferson] anew, of questioning our shibboleths not only about him but also about ourselves” (p. 10). Steele's effort succeeds brilliantly. By focusing on Jefferson's understanding of the meaning of nationhood and national identity, Steele brings to light continuities that help resolve some of the apparent inconsistencies in Jefferson's political thought and career. Steele's premise is that we should understand Jefferson's intellectual thought in terms of a nationalist story or narrative: an evolving tale that Jefferson told himself and others about the sources of American identity, the nature of the American character, the relationship between the American people and their government, and the place of the United States in the world. As Steele sees it, Jefferson made a fundamental distinction between what he calls the American “nation” and the American “state.” Whereas the American state was the particular form of government that Americans had created after the American Revolution, the nation, in Jefferson's view, was far more important. Possessing an almost mythic quality, the nation had first emerged during the revolution and embodied the people's wisdom and virtue. It was the source of the government's legitimacy and the basis of all consent. As a result, educating the public, consulting public opinion, and making sure that the government reflected the nation's true will should be, in Jefferson's view, the state's highest priorities

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