Buchanan, James McGill. The bachelor life of President James Buchanan Tobacco magnate and father of the modern cigarette

Cases when you can meet full namesakes among successful, popular and famous people are rare. But several outstanding people are known under the name Buchanan James, one of whom made a huge contribution to the development of modern economics. The owner of the same name was also a successful American businessman who owns a large tobacco business, and the President of the United States. In the article we will look at the biographies of all the outstanding James Buchanans, and also learn about the merits due to which they became so famous.

From Nobel Prize winner and 15th President of the United States to a fictional comic book character

Today, there are several Americans known whose names contain this combination - James Buchanan. These are people who are in no way connected with each other by professional activities. One of them is the world's most powerful businessman and industrialist of the 19th century, who made billions in the tobacco industry. The second is Nobel Prize winner, economist James Buchanan, whose theory of public choice is still used by economists and political scientists around the world.

The 15th President of the United States bore the same name as the two previous heroes of our article. Alas, it cannot be said that he went down in history thanks to some special merits, but this Buchanan also distinguished himself in some ways - the consensus of American historians called him the worst president in the entire long history of the United States.

The list of famous owners of this name includes another hero, although this time a fictional one. He became a character from one of the comics of the Marvel Cinematic Universe - soldier Buchanan (Bucky Barnes). It would seem that in the 21st century the viewer could see such a huge number of movie characters that nothing could surprise him. But with Bucky Barnes everything turned out differently. Marvel fans are known for their devotion to the company's comics and fanatical love for its fictional characters. So their Buchanan James, once becoming part of the comic book plot, seemed to come to life and become a real person. The character turned out to be so realistic that on the Internet, devoted fans of the film company post his biography, dedicate poems to him and comment on all the on-screen actions of this hero.

In our article we will look at short biographies of all famous James Buchanans, and also indicate the achievements thanks to which they went down in history. For the sake of fairness and for his loyal fans, we will also briefly consider the biography of Bucky Barnes’s life, fictionalized by Marvel, at the end of our article.

Great economist and Nobel laureate

The first of the Buchanans, whose biography we will consider, will be a man whose full name is James McGill Buchanan Jr.

He was born in 1919, in one of the American states called Tennessee. The future Nobel laureate received his first education at the local pedagogical college. The young man received his higher education (master's degree) at the University of Tennessee, successfully graduating from its Faculty of Economics. After graduation, he was almost immediately drafted into the army. After completing basic military training at a naval school, he served in Guam, as well as at the naval headquarters at Pearl Harbor.

James McGill Buchanan received his doctorate in economics after the war, in 1948, at the University of Chicago. For a long time, he enjoyed a successful teaching career, lecturing at the University of Virginia, as well as at the most prestigious universities in Tennessee and Florida.

In 1969, he became the first ever director of the Center for the Study of Public Choice. He was also president of the Western and Southern Economic Associations and served as an honorary vice president of the American Economic Association. Buchanan's scholarly works included material on the topics of government debt, reciprocal theory, libertarian theory, voting, and macroeconomics.

Work that brought recognition in world political economy

James Buchanan is an economist whose work forms the basis of modern political science and economics. He became the founder of the Virginia School of Political Economics. His work became a catalyst for further research confirming that various non-economic forces and personal interests of individual politicians have a direct impact on the economic policy of each country.

James Buchanan's theory of public choice allowed its author to become a Nobel Prize laureate. This man lived quite a long life; he passed away in January 2013. Today his name is familiar to every political scientist and economist, and dozens of his scientific works are actively used in the study of the theory and practice of making political and economic decisions.

Tobacco magnate and father of the modern cigarette

The full name of the person whose brief biography we will consider next is James Buchanan Duke. He was born in December 1856. He is called the father of the modern cigarette, and for good reason.

In the 1880s, he and his brother began managing the tobacco company founded by their father, Washington Duke. At first, their factory was just a small niche in the tobacco business. But two years later, James saw new perspectives. If previously all cigarettes were rolled by workers by hand, now, with the advent of an automatic cigarette production machine, the process could be accelerated many times over. And young Duke did everything to get this car.

He acquired the license for the world's first machine to automate the cigarette production process, invented by mechanic James Bonsack. The factory's production has reached a new level. The machine carefully rolled one endless cigarette, and the knives, which rotated at equal distances, cut it into many small ones. The ends, which were previously hand-twisted by workers to prevent the tobacco from drying out, were now impregnated with special chemicals for the same purpose. Also, to improve the taste, new cigarettes were soaked in molasses, glycerin or sugar.

The number of cigarettes produced increased at an incredible rate. If earlier at the James factory workers could produce a maximum of 200 cigarettes per shift, now the machine easily produced 120 thousand units per shift! James Buchanan Duke faced a new problem - sales. The volumes that his modernized factory produced were 1/5 of what all of America smoked at that time. And Duke began aggressive marketing. He was a sponsor at various events, gave away his cigarettes for free at various competitions, and also came up with the idea of ​​​​putting trading cards in packs. He merges with his main American competitor and creates his own monopoly - the American Tobacco Company.

In 1889 alone, he spent $800 thousand on advertising. People liked his cigarettes; they said that it was he who taught America to smoke Camel. But huge production volumes continued to require new, huge markets.

Division of the sales market for tobacco products

In the early 1890s, he desperately tried to break into the British market, but experienced industrialists were waiting for him there and did not intend to give up. Under the threat of Duke's invasion of their space, they consolidated into a single corporation, which after some time tried to invade James's American market. Through negotiations, a compromise was reached that satisfied all parties.

During this difficult period for James Buchanan, his business partners filed endless lawsuits against him. Ultimately, the American Tobacco Company monopoly ended in 1911. According to the court decision, the company was divided into several small companies, and only one of them remained under the control of James.

James' Energy Achievements

At the beginning of the twentieth century, Buchanan Duke founded several small energy companies, which in the future became the basis for the creation of the Duke Energy Corporation. In addition to providing electricity for Duke's textile mills (which he also operated quite successfully), this corporation provided electric light to many cities in South and North Carolina. On the territory of the latter, a reservoir was created in 1928, providing the entire district with electricity. Over time, he was named after James Buchanan Duke.

Not only a builder of a tobacco empire, but also a philanthropist of the university

History remembers this man not only as the father of the modern cigarette. With billions of dollars in capital, in 1924 James decided to create his own trust fund with a capital of $40 million.

The patron gave most of these funds to Durham University, which is now known as Duke University.

James Buchanan: a biography for which you are not ashamed

The name of this Buchanan will not be forgotten soon, because he did a lot to ensure that the bright memory of him lived for centuries after his death. Duke bequeathed most of his inheritance to charity: the maintenance and development of educational institutions such as D. Smith University, Davidson College and Furman University. In addition, he bequeathed part of the money to a number of non-profit hospitals and orphanages located in North and South Carolina.

His world-famous daughter, Doris Duke, inherited all the remaining property and money of her father. In memory of him, she created an amazing winter garden on the territory of Duke Farmes, which housed a luxurious collection of sculptures. Doris called all this beauty Duke Gardens.

One of the worst presidents in US history

Another man named James Buchanan left his mark on US history - the 15th President of America. His value as head of state is still considered highly controversial. Some historians boldly call him the worst of all US presidents, accusing him of passivity and indecisiveness. The main argument against Buchanan is that his government preceded the division of the United States into North and South and the subsequent onset of a difficult Civil War.

Others believe that the opinion about the rule of this president should not be so categorical. Do not forget that he had to govern the country during one of its most difficult periods. In the second half of the 19th century, the problem of slavery was very acute in America. The confrontation between the South and the North could not be stopped, and the course of events in history could no longer be changed, so we can say that Buchanan, even as president, was, by and large, powerless.

The future XV President of America was born in April 1791 in Pennsylvania, into a rather poor large family. Despite this, the young man managed to obtain a legal education. He gained his first professional experience working as a lawyer during the Anglo-American War.

In 1814-1816. in his native city he becomes a member of parliament. In 1831 he was appointed envoy to the St. Petersburg House. And there he quite successfully signed the first trade agreement between America and Russia. He then served as senator and minister of foreign affairs.

In 1856, the Democratic Party nominated him for the presidency. At that time, a difficult situation arose - there were two warring governments (supporters and opponents of slavery). The state awaited the new president and his decision regarding the future of Kansas. Not wanting to aggravate an already difficult situation, James Buchanan decided to classify Kansas as a slave state. Then there was a slave uprising, which the US government suppressed quite harshly. And the suppression of this rebellion caused even greater division and confrontation between North and South.

Political scientists and historians note that to his successor, A. Lincoln, President Buchanan left the country in a terrible state, on the brink of civil war between two irreconcilable camps. Buchanan died in 1868, having managed to write an essay justifying his policies before his death. But it didn’t really help him, because in history he remained the worst US president.

Another Marvel character named James

And the last famous Buchanan James, whose biography we will consider in our article, at first glance, does not at all suit the company of previous heroes. He is simply whose biography was successfully invented by the Marvel scriptwriters. But it is worth noting that it was invented so successfully that comic book fans all over the world are looking for this biography and are really interested in the details of the life of this fictional character. Viewers first saw this character in 2010, when The First Avenger was released on the wide screen.

So, according to Marvel legend, James Buchanan Barnes (the actor who brought his image to life on screen - Sebastian Stan) was born back in 1917. He showed good results in various sports areas and was a leader in his class. One day, James noticed how bullies were beating a weak boy and stood up for him. This boy turned out to be Steve Rogers, who later became the legendary Captain America. After the incident, the guys became very good friends. At the outbreak of World War II, James Buchanan (Bucky) Barnes was drafted into the Army, underwent winter training at Camp McCoy, and was sent to the Italian Front.

Winter Soldier named Buchanan

Then he was captured by a Hydra detachment and was taken prisoner, where he suffered a lot of abuse, torture and remained in isolation for a long time. His childhood friend, who had already become Captain America during the war, learns about this captivity. He rushes to save James and finally frees him from captivity. James Buchanan (Bucky) joins the team of his friend who freed him, and their common goal is to wipe Hydra off the face of the earth. During one of the scuffles, James Buchanan Barnes fell from the train, his body was not found, and everyone assumed he was dead.

In fact, Buchanan's body was found by one of the Hydra units. His memory was completely erased, and for a long time all kinds of experiments were carried out on James’ body. For several years he was immersed in artificial sleep, occasionally allowed to awaken when it was necessary to carry out an order to kill an influential leader.

According to one of Hydra's decrees, Buchanan had to kill Captain America, and for him this was absolutely no problem, because his memory, which stored memories of childhood friendship, had long been erased. While completing this task, at the moment of direct confrontation between Captain America and his friend, James' memory began to return in flashes, and both friends remained alive. But James Buchanan, whom everyone now called the Winter Soldier, disappeared again after that.

1791

IN 1814 1820

IN 1831 1833

IN 1849 1850

IN 1856

IN 1861 1866 year.

James Buchanan is an American politician, diplomat, and fifteenth President of the United States of America. Most modern historians consider James Buchanan to be the worst president in the history of the state.

James Buchanan born April 23 1791 years in Merkersburg (Pennsylvania), in the family of an Irish farmer. He received a law degree in college and eventually had a fairly successful career as an attorney.

IN 1814 year he becomes a member of the legislature in the state of Pennsylvania, and with 1820 holds the post of deputy in Congress for a year. Buchanan's personal life did not work out - his fiancée died when he was still a young man, and after that he decided never to marry. Therefore, among all the presidents of the United States, only James Buchanan lived his life as a bachelor.

IN 1831 Buchanan was appointed ambassador of the United States to Russia, and after returning to America 1833 year he becomes a senator from Pennsylvania. As an experienced lawyer, Buchanan manages to maintain balance and not come into conflict with either representatives of the northern states or representatives of the slave-holding South.

IN 1849 James Buchanan becomes ambassador to Great Britain, and in 1850 year takes part in the Ostend Conference, seeking the right to join the United States of the island of Cuba.

IN 1856 Buchanan became the Democratic candidate for President of the United States and won the election. For some time he still managed to maintain a neutral position during the showdown between the North and the South, but he could neither prevent nor delay the split that was emerging in the state. Since the president did not take any energetic actions, but preferred to hesitate and wait, preparations for an internecine war were already in full swing in the country.

IN 1861 In 2010, the President of the United States became President, who inherited a state split into two parts by irreconcilable contradictions on issues of slavery and the social system. Buchanan himself, realizing that history would severely condemn him for inaction and indecision, tried to at least somehow explain his actions in his own essay, published in 1866 year.

James Buchanan, brilliant diplomat and most indecisive president, dies on June 1 1868 years in Lancaster (Pennsylvania), at the age of 77 years.

James McGill Buchanan Jr. (English) James McGill Buchanan Jr., (October 3, 1919, Murfreesboro, Tennessee - January 9, 1913) - American economist, Nobel Prize laureate (1986) “for his study of the contractual and constitutional foundations of the theory of economic and political decision-making.” He is one of the founders of the school of new political economy.

James Buchanan studied at the University of Tennessee. He received his doctorate from the University of Chicago. He has taught at the universities of Tennessee, Florida and the University of Virginia. In 1962, together with G. Tullock, he published the work “The Calculus of Consent”, which analyzes the process of making economic decisions using mixed methods of economic and political sciences.
President of the Society for "Public Choice" (1964). Winner of the F. Seidman Prize (1984) and the A. Smith Prize in two versions (1988 and 1991). The Center for Political Economy at George Mason University is named in honor of the scientist.

Scientific achievements

The approach of Buchanan and others of the Virginia School is to view political decisions as analogous to decisions in economic activity. Political decisions are a choice of alternatives. Politicians act in the same way as entrepreneurs. They are guided by their private interests, for example, the desire to get maximum votes, ensure maximum power and influence.

In public choice theory, Buchanan puts forward two main theses, or two prerequisites, for the coordination of the interests of voters and government power.
1. To achieve agreement within the framework of a “political exchange,” a detailed development of rules and procedures governing the adoption of laws, forms of financial control, and principles of taxation is required. This is the “constitution of economic policy”.
2. Practical activities of the state and its bodies on the basis of accepted rules and procedures.

As a result, the rules of the economic game extend to the political process. In politics, people pay taxes in exchange for public goods. The point is to more clearly and strictly regulate this exchange.

James Buchanan - 15th President of the United States- born April 23, 1791 in Massersburg (Pennsylvania), died June 1, 1868 in Lancaster (Pennsylvania). President of the United States from March 4, 1857 to March 4, 1861.

James Buchanan was born into a large family of an Irish farmer. After receiving a law degree from college, he worked as a lawyer during the Anglo-American War.

1814-1816 Buchanan is a member of the Pennsylvania State Assembly.

1821-1831 - Member of Congress.

In 1831 - US Ambassador to Russia, thanks to Buchanan, the first treaty between the US and Russia was signed.

1834 - 1845 - Senator from Pennsylvania.

1845 - 1849 - Secretary of Foreign Affairs under President James Polk.

1853 - 1856 - US Ambassador to Great Britain.

In 1856, the Democrats nominated Buchanan for the presidency. Since he advocated the continuation of territorial expansion and was in favor of ending agitation against slavery, all southern states supported him.

By winning the election, Buchanan became the first president not from New England, the South, or New York. In addition, Buchanan is still the only bachelor of all US presidents.

In March 1857, just after taking office as president, Buchanan underwent his first serious test. The newly admitted state of Kansas, which had 2 opposing governments (pro-slavery and anti-slavery), awaited a decision from the president and Congress. Buchanan supported the proposal to classify the state as a slave state.

In foreign policy, Buchanan established economic relations with China and Japan, and also began negotiations with Russia regarding the acquisition of Alaska.

In October 1859, fanatical anti-slavery John Brown seized the state gun at Harper's Fairy, Virginia, and started a slave revolt. The uprising was successfully suppressed, and Brown himself and his sons were executed. This rebellion further strained relations between the North and the South.

Buchanan refused to participate in the next presidential election and until Lincoln's inauguration, he only tried to delay the split of the Union. By siding with the South, he sought to end the anti-slavery agitation. Buchanan argued that he saw no legal possibility of keeping the states in the Union by force. Thus, he passively watched as South Carolina seceded from the Union, which subsequently, along with six other states, formed the Confederate States of America.

During the war, Buchanan returned to his native Pennsylvania. In the press he was often accused of indecision, which led to the split of the Union, and sometimes even of betrayal.

P.S. The consensus of historians considers Buchanan to be the worst of the US presidents. Although this opinion is disputed by some politicians.

BUCHANAN (Buchanan) James (1791-1868), American statesman, 15th President of the United States, from the Democratic Party (1857-61). In 1845-49, Secretary of State, one of the organizers of the aggressive Mexican-American War of 1846-48. Contributed to the strengthening of the slave-owning South.

BUCHANAN (Buchanan) James (April 23, 1791, near Mercesburg, Pennsylvania - June 1, 1868, near Lancaster, Pennsylvania), American statesman, 15th President of the United States, from the Democratic Party. Through compromises and concessions to the slave-owning South, he unsuccessfully tried to prevent the Civil War.

Born into a family of Irish immigrants. A lawyer by training. Initially a member of the Federalist Party, after its collapse in the mid-1820s he became a Democrat. He was elected to the Pennsylvania Legislature (1814-16) and the US House of Representatives (1821-31). He was envoy to Russia (1831-33), contributed to the conclusion of a trade agreement between the USA and Russia on December 6 (18), 1832. Senator (1834-45), Secretary of State (1845-49). In 1846, he signed an agreement with Great Britain establishing the border between the United States and British possessions in North America along the 49th parallel west of the Rocky Mountains (“Oregon lands”). This put an end to the decades-long territorial dispute between the two countries. The treaty was of a compromise nature: the most militant American politicians sought to establish a border much further north. In 1848, Buchanan unsuccessfully tried to achieve the nomination of the Democratic Party for the presidential election, after which he withdrew from political life for a while.

Condemning slavery on moral grounds, Buchanan the politician advocated compliance with the provisions of the constitution that allowed it, and, trying to gain the support of southern party leaders, actually acted in their interests and in the interests of the slave owners of the South. In 1846 he opposed the so-called “Wilmot Proviso” - a legislative amendment that would have prohibited slavery in the territories that were supposed to be annexed to the United States at the end of the Mexican-American War of 1846-48. Supported a number of legislative acts regarding the admissibility of slavery in the Western territories newly incorporated into the United States. Some of these acts contained concessions to the slave states and represented a departure from earlier similar agreements (the Missouri Compromise). In 1853-56 envoy to Great Britain.

In 1854, he took part in the preparation of the Ostend Manifesto, a secret plan (which remained unrealized) proposed by the heads of three American diplomatic missions in Europe. Their plan provided for the forcible seizure of Cuba, which at that time belonged to Spain, if the latter refused to sell it to the United States. The authors of the manifesto believed that otherwise a possible slave uprising in Cuba would destabilize the situation in the US South. However, the annexation of Cuba would create another slave state.

Having thus strengthened his position in the South, Buchanan managed to first achieve his candidacy and then his election in 1856 to the presidency. As president, he hindered the activities of supporters of the abolition of slavery, and, on the contrary, sought the implementation of the Fugitive Slave Law of 1850 (providing for prosecution in the territory of free states). He supported supporters of slavery in the territory of Kansas, where the question of joining the Union as a free or slave state was being decided. Objectively, Buchanan’s activities only contributed to the expansion of the slave-owning zone and the strengthening of the position of the slave-owning South.

In 1860 he lost the elections to A. When, in the last months of Buchanan's presidency, the southern states began to declare secession from the Union, he condemned the rebels and ordered the garrisons of federal forts in the South to resist them, publicly admitting that he saw no way to stop the collapse of the country.