American Enterprise Institute: McCulloch v. Maryland at 200
The American Enterprise Institute recently hosted a panel of scholars in honor of the 200th anniversary of the Supreme Court’s landmark McCulloch v. Maryland decision. The scholars discussed McCulloch v. Maryland, Marshall’s opinion, his judicial statesmanship, James Madison’s alternative reading of the Constitution, and the role of the bank in establishing America’s commercial republic. Panelists included JMC faculty partner Michael Zuckert and JMC fellow Christopher Wolfe.
This year marks the 200th anniversary of the landmark McCulloch v. Maryland decision, which confirmed Congress’ authority to establish a national bank, based on a broad reading of the necessary and proper clause of the Constitution. Chief Justice John Marshall’s opinion was not without controversy, as it raised key questions about federal and state authority and, crucially, how a constitution of enumerated powers was to be read and interpreted. These questions remain alive today, resonating in how the American public, policymakers, members of Congress, and the courts think about our constitutional order, its power, and its limits.
Thursday, February 28, 2019 • 5:00 PM
AEI Auditorium • American Enterprise Institute
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Michael P. Zuckert is the Nancy Reeves Dreux Professor of Political Science at the University of Notre Dame and Founding Editor of American Political Thought. Professor Zuckert teaches graduate and undergraduate courses in Political Philosophy and Theory, American Political Thought, American Constitutional Law, American Constitutional History, Constitutional Theory, and Philosophy of Law. Professor Zuckert has published extensively on a variety of topics, including George Orwell, Plato, Shakespeare, and contemporary liberal theory. He is currently finishing a book called Completing the Constitution: The Post-Civil War Amendments and is co-authoring another book on Machiavelli and Shakespeare. He has been commissioned to write the volume on John Rawls for a series on Twentieth Century Political Philosophy.
Professor Zuckert is a JMC faculty partner.
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Christopher Wolfe is a Professor of Politics at Constantin College of the Liberal Arts at the University of Dallas. His research interests include Constitutional law, American political thought, natural law, and liberal political theory. Professor Wolfe is the President of the American Public Philosophy Institute, an interdisciplinary group of scholars from various universities, supported by local business and professional leaders, that promotes a natural law public philosophy rooted in the principles of the American Founding. He has also contributed to several books, including That Eminent Tribunal: Judicial Supremacy and the Constitution (Princeton University Press, 2004), and has received numerous awards in his field.
Professor Wolfe is a JMC fellow.
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The American Enterprise Institute is a public policy think tank dedicated to defending human dignity, expanding human potential, and building a freer and safer world. The work of its scholars and staff advances ideas rooted in a belief in democracy, free enterprise, American strength and global leadership, solidarity with those at the periphery of society, and a pluralistic, entrepreneurial culture. AEI is committed to making the intellectual, moral, and practical case for expanding freedom, increasing individual opportunity, and strengthening the free enterprise system in America and around the world. Its work explores ideas that further these goals, and AEI scholars take part in this pursuit with academic freedom. AEI operates independently of any political party and has no institutional positions. Its scholars’ conclusions are fueled by rigorous, data-driven research and broad-ranging evidence.
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