A Government as Good as Its People

by Jimmy Carter

Overview

A Government as Good as Its People, first published in 1977, presents sixty-two of the most notable public statements made by President Carter on his way to the White House. Formal speeches, news conferences, informal remarks made at gatherings, interviews, and excerpts from debates give a vivid glimpse into the issues of the time and the deeply held convictions of Jimmy Carter.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781557283986
Publisher:	University of Arkansas Press
Publication date:	05/01/1996
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	248
Product dimensions:	(w) x (h) x 0.60(d)

About the Author

Jimmy Carter, the thirty-ninth president of the United States, won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 for his time as president and his work through the Carter Center, which seeks to prevent and resolve conflicts, enhance freedom and democracy, and improve health around the world.

Editorial Reviews

It is astounding how little attention has been paid to Jimmy Carter's lifebefore, during and after his presidencyby publishers and biographers. University of Georgia sociologist Morris tries to fill the void with this thematic biography of a U.S. leader generally seen as a failure in office and a success as a statesman after defeat at the polls. Morris succeeds as an intellectual biographer but largely fails as the teller of a life story. He admires Carter as an above-board moralist during an age when such a persona could have been drowned by cynicism. But Morris is also convincing when he suggests that Carter's moralism didn't suit the country's needs during the last half of the 1970s. Morris is especially critical of Carter's failure to formulate and convey a platform for domestic policy reform. A president cannot, should not, try to govern with a foreign policy vision only, Morris asserts. While his decision to plumb the depths of Carter's moral lobe is a wise one, he could have done so while also giving more consideration to the events in Carter's life. That glossing of externalities often makes it difficult to understand Carter's moral judgments. Although Morris leaves the field open for a more thorough recounting of Carter's life before and during his presidency, his treatment of Carter at age 70 does offer satisfying insights. (Nov.)

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly