FINEST HOUR - Winston Churchill

JLJames Muller at Chartwell (photo by Ragnwald Muller)FRIENDS OF 1CSthan just the subjects he wroteabout. Churchill's writings showhis development as a statesman;they provide insights into his character;and they give the reader abetter understanding of politics."I find Churchill a better guideto understanding political historyand political questions than mostpolitical scientists who don't havethe kind of experience he has andwho are more likely to have theirwork polluted by bad theories,which Churchill was very innocentof," Muller says. "Churchill basedhis political understanding verymuch on his understanding of menand events, which he studied witha discerning eye.The bright academic cast of Churchill Society events past,present and future is owed in large degree to NorthAmerican academic advisory panel chairman, ProfessorJames W. Muller of the University of Alaska Anchorage,who sees Churchill first and foremost as a writer.BY SHELLY SANDERFORD, UAA SCIARTSPHOTO COURTESY RANGNALD MULLERAS a young graduate studentat Harvard, JamesMuller would sometimesplay hooky from writing his dissertationon Montesquieu. Needing abreak from the 18th century politicalphilosopher, he began readingthe 20th century works of WinstonChurchill. Churchill's essay "FiftyYear Hence," written in 1932, fascinatedMuller because it was composedalmost exactly fifty years before,and the author describes testtube babies and nuclear weaponsand contemplates their effects onthe future of politics. (Available for$10 from ICS Stores, address p. 2.)That was ten years ago, butMuller, a political science professorat UAA, is still fascinated byChurchill's books. Muller wasdrawn to Churchill's writings becausethey grappled with politicalphilosophy in a practical andunique way. Now he is writing abook that gazes back at Churchill'scareer and settles on his writingsas its locus. Muller calls his book acomprehensive introduction toChurchill's writing. "Churchill'sbooks are not studied enough,'Muller says, "not even by peoplewho study Churchill."After delving into Churchill'shistories, biographies, autobiographies,philosophical treatises andhis one novel (Savrola), Mullerconcluded there was more to learnfrom the British leader's books"Churchill really begins withthe common sense understandingof a citizen and deepens it byadding the political understandingof a statesman, then rises abovethat by adding the curiosity andcontemplation of somebody with aphilosophical bent of mind. Iwouldn't say he was a philosopher,but he did philosophize at least insome ways and up to a point.That's quite unusual for a politician.Indeed it is quite unusual foranyone."Shortly after getting his Ph.D.in political science from Harvardin 1982, Muller came to UAA toteach political science. He servedas the chair of the Department ofPolitical Science from 1986 to1988.FINEST HOUR 88/12