A Restless Prussian in the New World (Francis Lieber)

Abstract

Franz Lieber, of Prussian origin, emigrated to America at a young age, where, under the name Francis Lieber, he became a renowned thinker in the fields of law and political science in the second half of the 19th century. He published books and essays on his experiences with American democracy, legal and political hermeneutics, and the law of war. He was acquainted with Tocqueville, and in their correspondence, they shared their impressions of American democracy. He was one of the intellectual and institutional founders of American political science. Despite his significant influence during his lifetime, his body of work had been largely forgotten by the 20th century; efforts to revive interest in it began in recent decades.