Economic Interpretation Of The Constitution Charles A Beard Summary

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In 1913, Charles A. Beard, a historian and leader of the Progressive movement, published a book titled An Economic Interpretation of the Constitution. In his book, Beard formulates a rather controversial argument in regard to the intentions of the founding fathers when writing the Constitution of the United States of America. The framers of the Constitution were powerful men of means, Beard argued, and the stated truths- the principles outlined by John Locke and discussed in the Declaration of Independence and later the Constitution- were not the true motivation of the delegates of the Constitutional Convention. Instead, they were trying to protect their own wealth and use the Constitution as a means to exercise influence over the government