Stewardship Theory of the Presidency: Theodore Roosevelt's Political Theory ofRepublican Progressive Statemanship and the Foundation of the Modern Presidency

摘要

Contrary to the reigning scholarly opinion, Theodore Roosevelt had a morecoherent political theory than has been recognized. This political theory is represented and summarized in his famous stewardship theory of the presidency, articulated in his Autobiography, published in 1913. The main tenets of the theory found expression from the earliest days of Roosevelt's political career and are marked by a consistent effort to strengthen executive power in the hands of a single individual. The stewardship theory is the public expression of a political theory with three main elements: classical republican, progressive democratic, and statesmanship. It is statesmanship that is crucial to Roosevelt's political theory. Statesmanship combines with the sometimes clashing republican and progressive elements to form a cohesive whole. As the part that cements the disparate elements together, it is statesmanship understood as leadership that is most evident in the stewardship theory. The stewardship theory, then, articulates a political theory of republican progressive statesmanship. It is this political theory of republican progressive statesmanship that forms the foundation of what has come to be known as the modern presidency. Therefore, to a greater extent than has been recognized, Theodore Roosevelt is the architect of both the theoretical and practical foundations of the modem presidency.