On this episode of The Hillsdale College Online Courses Podcast, Kyle and Juan discuss the role of the government in regulating marriage before introducing David Azerrad and Thomas West.

In this course, Thomas West, one of the leading scholars on the American Founding, is joined by David Azerrad, his former student and now colleague, to examine the principles of the Founders, explore the urgent political questions they faced, and reveal the choices they made to secure free government in America.   

The goal of their conversation is to move beyond a simple recitation of the abstract principles of the Founding and bring their political theory to life so we can see how the Founders approached the perennial problems of politics. 

The Founders viewed sex as a vital political topic because it generates children. In order to ensure children were raised well, they supported laws and customs that channeled this passion into stable, monogamous marriages that recognized the natural differences between the sexes.