Ten Greatest American Political Thinkers

Because lists are fun!

"Political thinker" is defined broadly. List is created without much serious thought--I'm sure there are obvious omissions which you are perfectly free to debate about in comments. Obviously, it reflects personal political biases of mine as well.

To the list!

Honorable Mentions (no order):

Angela Davis, Professor, University of California (1944-present)

Alexander Hamilton, Treasury Secretary, (1755-1804)

bell hooks, Professor, Berea College (1954-present)

Michael Sandel, Professor, Harvard University (1953-present)

Henry David Thoreau, Writer, (1817-1862)

10. Abraham Lincoln, President (1809-1865)

9. Thomas Jefferson, President (1743-1826)

8. Robert Nozick, Professor, Harvard University (1938-2002)

7. John Rawls, Professor, Harvard University (1922-2002)

6. Iris Marion Young, Professor, University of Chicago (1949-2006)

5. Fredrick Douglass, Writer & Orator (1818-1895)

4. Martin Luther King, Jr., Reverend (1929-1968)

3. John Dewey, Professor, Columbia University (1859-1952)

2. James Madison, President (1751-1836)

1. W.E.B. Du Bois, Professor, Atlanta University (1868-1963)