The Political Scene | The New Yorker America’s Founders Feared a Caesar. Has One Arrived?
13 snips
Mar 8, 2025 
Jeffrey Rosen, President and CEO of the National Constitution Center and a law professor at George Washington University, discusses the founders' fears of tyranny and draws parallels between Donald Trump's leadership style and Julius Caesar's dictatorship. The conversation delves into the cyclical nature of political power, the implications of executive overreach, and how the Supreme Court is responding to these challenges. Rosen emphasizes the importance of understanding history to avoid repeating the mistakes of the past as America grapples with the rise of demagoguery.
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Hamilton's Admiration for Caesar
- At a dinner party, Hamilton called Julius Caesar the greatest man who ever lived.
- Jefferson saw this as Hamilton's belief in force and corruption to govern.
Adams's Prescience on Aristocracy
- John Adams, drawing from Polybius, predicted that aristocracy leads to oligarchy.
- This, in turn, fuels the rise of a Caesar-like figure, a demagogue.
Caesar's Playbook
- Caesar's rise involved flattering the Senate while undermining its power.
- He also appealed to the people through class warfare and economic policies.
