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Woodrow Wilson: Godfather of Liberalism Ronald J FIRST PRINCIPLES FOUNDATIONAL CONCEPTS TO GUIDE POLITICS AND POLICY MAKERS OF AMERICAN POLITICAL THOUGHT NO. 01 | JULY 31, 2012 Woodrow Wilson: Godfather of Liberalism Ronald J. Pestritto t has become fashionable today for tank on the Left today is called the two decades; he was, in fact, the only Ithose who once called themselves Center for American Progress, which professional political scientist ever “liberals” to refer to themselves has an entire project dedicated to to become President of the United instead as “progressives.” This is a preserving and protecting the legacy States. And while Wilson’s presi- phenomenon evident both among of America’s original Progressive dency certainly helped to launch a our politicians and among our intel- Movement. variety of landmark revisions in the lectual class. Citizens who are concerned with framework of American government In the 2008 presidential primary the battle of ideas today must there- (the Federal Reserve and the income campaign, Hillary Clinton was asked fore endeavor to come to terms both tax, to name just two), the ideas that whether she was a “liberal”; she dis- with contemporary progressivism came from his academic work were tanced herself from that term (which and with its foundational principles even more influential on future still seems toxic to much of the elec- from the original turn-of-the-centu- waves of liberalism in the course torate) and described herself instead ry movement. In order to understand of 20th and 21st century American as a “progressive.” When pressed, she both the Progressive Movement itself politics. made clear that she meant by this and its influence on politics today, term to connect herself to the origi- there is no more important figure to Life nal Progressives from the turn of engage than Woodrow Wilson. Born Thomas Woodrow Wilson in the 20th century. Similarly, what is Most are familiar with Wilson Staunton, Virginia, on December 28, arguably the most prominent think because he was the 28th President 1856, Wilson moved with his fam- of the United States, a presidency ily several times during his youth as most known for its stewardship his father was a minister in Augusta, This paper, in its entirety, can be found at of American involvement in the Georgia, Columbia, South Carolina, http://report.heritage.org/MAPT-01 First World War and for Wilson’s and Wilmington, North Carolina. Produced by the B. Kenneth Simon Center failed attempt to sign America on Wilson attended Davidson College, for Principles and Politics to the League of Nations. Wilson studied at home for a time, and The Heritage Foundation also served a partial term as gover- finally attended Princeton, where he 214 Massachusetts Avenue, NE Washington, DC 20002 nor of New Jersey before becoming earned his bachelor’s degree in 1879. (202) 546-4400 | heritage.org President in 1913. He also attended law school for a year Nothing written here is to be construed as necessarily Prior to his political life, how- at the University of Virginia; and reflecting the views of The Heritage Foundation or as an attempt to aid or hinder the passage of any bill ever, Wilson was a prolific scholar though he studied there only a year, before Congress. and successful academic for over he moved to Atlanta after completing FIRST PRINCIPLES | NO. 01 JULY 31, 2012 new German science of politics was Born imported into American politics December 28, 1856, in Staunton, Virginia, to Rev. Joseph Ruggles Wilson with profound effect, and Wilson was and Jessie Janet Woodrow [Wilson]. among the most important figures in Education this movement. Graduated from Princeton University in 1879, studied law for a year at the While a student at Hopkins, University of Virginia, and went on to get his Ph.D. in History and Political Wilson wrote his first book, Science from Johns Hopkins University in 1886. Congressional Government, which is Religion still his best known academic work. Presbyterian Wilson’s professors subsequently Family allowed the book to count as his doc- Married Ellen Louise Axson in 1885, with whom he had three daughters: toral dissertation, as he soon learned Margaret Woodrow Wilson, Jessie Woodrow Wilson Sayre, and Eleanor that he needed the completed Ph.D. Randolph Wilson. Ellen died in 1914, and Wilson married Edith Bolling Galt in order to advance in the Academy. a year later. They remained married until his death. Wilson landed his first aca- Highlights demic job, at Bryn Mawr College in Professor at Bryn Mawr College, Wesleyan University, and Princeton Pennsylvania, in 1885, the same year University (1885–1902). he married the former Ellen Axson, Author, Congressional Government (1885), The State (1889), Constitutional with whom he would have three Government of the United States (1908), The New Freedom (1912), and three daughters. He quickly became dissat- histories. isfied at Bryn Mawr—his salary was President of Princeton University (1902–1910). insufficient, and he regarded his posi- Governor of New Jersey (1911–1913). tion as less than prestigious because President of the United States (1913–1921). all of his students were women—and Leads the United States into World War I (1917). moved on to Wesleyan University in Negotiates the Treaty of Versailles, which formally ends the war (1919). Middletown, Connecticut, in 1888. Nobel Peace Prize (1919). Wesleyan was regarded as a better Campaigns unsuccessfully for American membership in the League of school; it encouraged scholarship Nations (1919). by its professors, and while there, Died Wilson produced The State, his most February 3, 1924, in his Washington, D.C., home; buried at the Washington comprehensive and penetrating National Cathedral. treatment of the theory of govern- Notable Quote ment, in addition to several other “The Declaration of Independence did not mention the questions of our day. important articles and essays on gov- It is of no consequence to us….” ernment and public administration. This scholarship helped Wilson to establish something of a reputa- his studies at home, passed the bar at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore, tion in the fledgling discipline of exam, and set up a law practice. Maryland. political science, and he positioned Wilson, however, was most Hopkins had just been founded in himself to be appointed a professor interested in public service, and the 1876 for the express purpose of bring- at Princeton in 1890. He was eventu- legal profession had simply been the ing German education and principles ally elected president of Princeton means most obvious to him for a to the United States. In the decades in 1902, propelled partly by a speech career in public service. This is why before its founding, most Americans titled “Princeton in the Nation’s the actual practice of law quickly who wanted an advanced degree Service,” which outlined his vision soured him on the profession. He was were going to Europe—and espe- for university-educated men to lead more interested, he said, in the ideas cially to Germany—to get it. Johns a newly empowered national admin- and principles behind the law, and so Hopkins quickly became influential istration. Wilson was given credit for he entered the new graduate pro- in American higher education. It also modernizing Princeton; he estab- gram in history and political science became one of the ways in which the lished a graduate school and set up 2 FIRST PRINCIPLES | NO. 01 JULY 31, 2012 the preceptorial system—“a method best-known expressions of Wilson’s Charles Evans Hughes. Shortly of study whereby a small group of brand of Progressivism. thereafter, Wilson led America into students meets in regular confer- that war, launching the effort with ences with a faculty member”—that ONCE ELECTED PRESIDENT, his “war message” in 1917 and laying is still a distinguishing feature of the WILSON HELPED TO USHER IN THE the basis for peace in the “Fourteen university. Points” a year later. It was also while he was presi- FIRST WAVE OF PROGRESSIVE Wilson himself traveled to Europe dent of Princeton that Wilson began REFORMS THAT WOULD LATER to negotiate the Treaty of Versailles, going on solo vacations to Bermuda. TAKE FULL FLOWER UNDER THE and the end of his presidency was Initially taken for health reasons, ADMINISTRATION OF FRANKLIN marked by his desperate attempt to these vacations soon became occa- secure ratification of the treaty and ROOSEVELT. sions for Wilson to spend time with what he considered to be its cen- Mary Peck. The exact nature of the tral accomplishment: the League relationship between Wilson and Once elected President, Wilson of Nations. It was on an exhausting Mrs. Peck has never been demon- helped to usher in the first wave speaking campaign on behalf of the strated definitively, though we do of Progressive reforms that League that Wilson suffered a stroke know that they had a long and affec- would later take full flower under in September of 1919, becoming tionate correspondence and that the Administration of Franklin largely debilitated for the remainder their relationship was the cause of a Roosevelt. While some assert that of his presidency. His second wife, rebuke from Wilson’s wife. the expansion of the federal admin- Edith Bolling Wilson, whom he had Wilson’s political career began istrative state that originated in married in 1915 after Ellen’s death to take shape toward the end of his the Wilson Administration was a year earlier, managed presidential Princeton presidency. He became due to the war mobilization effort, affairs for the remainder of his term, known in Progressive circles as a several key expansions came well and Wilson died in Washington, D.C., reformer—he gave a series of lec- before war mobilization was even on February 3, 1924.
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