David J Winter

A timely book for our turbulent time. The arguments of the colonial period of American history mirror much in our current political debate. Each of the solidly drawn characters in this historical novel must reach a personal determination of the proper balance between the rights of individuals and the needs of governing institutions. What are the natural rights of Man and what are the limits of the state, a king or parliament? How much influence should theological doctrine exert on the body politic? In that era, the public debate centered on the issue of individual rights as construed through carefully defined fundamental principles. These same precepts are just as pertinent now as then. However, in the acrimonious war-of-words that characterizes our current moment, concepts of basic individual liberties are considered subordinate to chaotic doctrines of collective 'fairness' and 'social justice' whose meanings have no specific anchor within 'unalienable rights'. Refutation of Submission is an excellent read that examines a series of vital issues from our earliest days that deserve sharp attention in our modern lives.

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Bill Miller