Publishers See Spike in U.S. Constitution Sales Amid Political Unrest/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Sales of U.S. founding documents are surging amid rising political tensions. Random House will publish new editions of the Constitution and Federalist Papers. The spike reflects growing public interest in democracy and civil discourse.
Constitution Sales Surge Amid Political Tensions: Quick Looks
- Sales Boom for Founding Texts: Demand for U.S. founding documents is the highest since 2004, according to Circana.
- Random House Leads the Pack: New editions of the Constitution and Federalist Papers coming in 2025, featuring intros by Jon Meacham.
- Public Seeks Civic Clarity: Analysts link rising interest to political unrest and the upcoming presidential election.
- Reading History to Understand Today: Meacham encourages Americans to revisit foundational texts as a response to national uncertainty.
- Publishers Respond Fast: Modern Library, Skyhorse, Penguin, and others rush to meet public demand.
- Election Cycle Impact: Barnes & Noble cites political dialogue and the upcoming 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence as drivers.
- Accessible to All: Documents are in the public domain and freely available online, but print editions are flying off shelves.
Publishers See Spike in U.S. Constitution Sales Amid Political Unrest
Deep Look
NEW YORK — April 23, 2025 — As the political climate in the U.S. grows more turbulent, book publishers are seeing a striking surge in demand for America’s founding documents — a trend that’s driving new editions and prompting deeper national reflection on democracy itself.
Random House announced Wednesday that it will publish a special hardcover volume of the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution in July, followed by a November release of the Federalist Papers, both featuring new introductions by Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Jon Meacham. The releases are part of the publisher’s Modern Library imprint.
“We felt it was important to look back at our foundational texts,” said Random House Publisher Andrew Ward. “The time to revisit the core principles of American democracy is now.”
Founding Texts Fly Off Shelves
Sales data from Circana, a leading book sales tracker, confirms the surge. Nearly 162,000 copies of the Constitution, Declaration of Independence, and Federalist Papers have sold as of mid-April — nearly triple the number sold during the same period in 2024, and five times more than in 2023.
This year’s spike rivals the heightened interest seen during President Trump’s first term in 2017. Analysts say the renewed attention is partly driven by public anxiety over recent government policies, heated political rhetoric, and a desire to better understand the mechanisms of American governance.
Why Now?
“There’s a clear hunger for civic literacy,” said Brenna Connor, an analyst at Circana. “People want context for the political moment we’re living in — and they’re turning to the documents that started it all.”
Connor also noted surging sales of other democracy-related titles, including Timothy Snyder’s On Tyranny and Michael Lewis’s Who Is Government?, an essay collection featuring writers like Dave Eggers and Sarah Vowell.
Meacham: A Return to Core Values
Speaking with the Associated Press, Jon Meacham stressed the relevance of 18th-century writings in today’s divisive political landscape.
“The founders were navigating their own storm — rebellion, disunity, fear,” he said. “Reading their words now reminds us that democracy is a continuing project.”
He added, “This is one way to combat the chaos. To find, in the words of those who built the system, a sense of clarity and shared mission.”
Competitive Market for Public Domain Texts
The market for these documents is surprisingly competitive. Since the texts are public domain, publishers from Skyhorse to Penguin to Barnes & Noble have produced editions in recent years, often bundling them with commentary or historical context.
According to Shannon DeVito, Barnes & Noble’s senior director of book strategy, 2025’s sales spike has been especially dramatic.
“We always see interest during election years,” DeVito said. “But this time, it’s compounded by the upcoming 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence and intense political debate on everything from constitutional rights to executive power.”
Looking Ahead
Random House’s Modern Library editions aim to be both timely and timeless. Printed on high-quality stock with historical context from one of the nation’s most respected biographers, the books are positioned as collector’s items and educational tools.
The July and November releases will compete in a crowded but vital marketplace — one that underscores the American public’s growing desire to re-engage with its democratic foundations.
“Ultimately,” Meacham said, “these documents don’t just belong to the past. They belong to all of us, right now.”
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