The Pursuit of Happiness: How Classical Writers on Virtue Inspired the Lives of the Founders and Defined America

In "The Pursuit of Happiness," Jeffrey Rosen explores the meaning of the phrase "the pursuit of happiness" as articulated in the Declaration of Independence. He profiles six influential Founding Fathers—Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and Alexander Hamilton—to show how they understood and pursued happiness in their lives.

Drawing on the classical Greek and Roman moral philosophers who inspired the Founders, Rosen reveals that they viewed the pursuit of happiness as a quest for being good, not merely feeling good. They believed in the importance of lifelong virtue, which included habits like industry, temperance, moderation, and sincerity. These virtues were seen as essential for self-improvement, character development, and self-mastery, all of which were necessary for political self-government.

Rosen also highlights the Founders' belief that the pursuit of virtue was incompatible with the enslavement of African Americans, although this principle was often betrayed by Virginians like Jefferson and Washington.

"The Pursuit of Happiness" offers a deep, rich, and fresh understanding of the foundation of American democracy. It goes beyond a simple elucidation of the Declaration's famous phrase, providing readers with a revelatory journey into the minds of the Founders and their complex relationship with the concept of happiness. 📚❤️