RELATED TO QUESTIONS of right government -- questions that have occupied our attention over the past two weeks -- have been questions about the proper relationship between the individual and the larger community. Throughout the history of Western Civilization, there have been those who have argued forcefully for individualism and for the primacy of individual experience. For just as long, however, there have been people arguing for a more central role for the community in people's lives.

This week we look at the former with a reading of three primary sources, Martin Luther's "On the Freedom of a Christian" (1520), selections from the first book of Adam Smith's "The Wealth of Nations" (1776), Thomas Jefferson's Declaration of Independence (1776), and James Madison's Bill of Rights (1791).

There is no online exercise, but you should spend some extra time on the primary source readings for this week and next week, because they will be central to completing your final writing assignment of the semester.