‘A conflict between George Washington and Thomas Jefferson?’

According to this book by Thomas Fleming, there were many conflicts between the Founding Fathers about the role of government in the United States of America, and the most important of these was between George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, respectively the first and third presidents of the United States of America, had very different views of the role of government and specifically of the presidency. In the introduction to this book, Mr Fleming writes that: ‘Washington was first, last and always a realist’, while ‘Jefferson tended to see men and events through the lense of a pervasive idealism.’

How did these differences in character and leadership style impact on the government of the fledgling nation, and do those differences still have an impact on the present? What is the role of government and how should presidential power be exercised?

Mr Fleming provides a detailed examination of the differences in leadership style between Washington and Jefferson, as well as the different experiences which they each bought to the presidency. Before I read this book, I knew that Washington was the general who led the colonies to freedom during the American War of Independence and was unanimously elected as the first President. I knew that Thomas Jefferson was the principal author of the Declaration of Independence, had served as the United States Minister to France and as the first United States Secretary of State under President Washington before becoming the third president. I knew very little about either the fact or causes of the political differences between them.

In this book, Mr Fleming explains the development of the Constitution, which followed the Articles of Confederation approved by the Second Continental Congress. While achieving independence from Britain left the United States at peace, the structure of government was unsettled, its power weak. This appears to have been key to the development of Washington’s political ideology, favouring a strong federal government. Jefferson favoured the rights of the individual states. Although these differences clearly shaped their individual presidencies, they have also continued to have an impact on US politics since.

And is one model of presidency better than the other? Or have both models (in their different ways) strengthened the Union? Certainly, at the time the United States came into being, a more centralized model of government would seem (to me at least) more effective in addressing the challenges facing the new nation. But the needs of nations and the ways those needs are met can change over time.

I enjoyed reading this book and learning more about the differences between George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. Washington seemed more practical, and focussed on effective management as well as leadership, Jefferson more of a passionate idealist believing that inspiration would serve instead of management by government. Two very different men, two very different (but complementary) visions. Each wanting what he saw as best for the USA.

While my positive impression of George Washington (gleaned some decades ago) remains largely intact, Mr Fleming’s book makes me question aspects of Thomas Jefferson’s influence. I suspect that I’ll be doing some more reading about Thomas Jefferson in the future.

Note: My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith