The Politicians and the Egalitarians: The Hidden History of American Politics

by Wilentz, Sean
5 out of 5 Customer Rating
ISBN: 9780393354133
Availability:
$8.49
Used - Trade Paperback - 9780393354133

Available Offers

20% Off In Cart
See Details
Offer Details
Get 20% off on pre-owned items, available in store and online. Offer valid December 25- December 28, 2024. This offer cannot be combined with other discounts or coupons and does not apply to previous purchases. Offer cannot be used to buy gift cards or items labeled as 'New' on HPB.com. Sale prices will be reflected in your cart.

Overview

"There are two keys to unlocking the secrets of American politics and American political history." So begins The Politicians & the Egalitarians, Princeton historian Sean Wilentz's bold new work of history.

First, America is built on an egalitarian tradition. At the nation's founding, Americans believed that extremes of wealth and want would destroy their revolutionary experiment in republican government. Ever since, that idea has shaped national political conflict and scored major egalitarian victories--from the Civil War and Progressive eras to the New Deal and the Great Society--along the way.

Second, partisanship is a permanent fixture in America, and America is the better for it. Every major egalitarian victory in United States history has resulted neither from abandonment of partisan politics nor from social movement protests but from a convergence of protest and politics, and then sharp struggles led by principled and effective party politicians. There is little to be gained from the dream of a post-partisan world.

With these two insights Sean Wilentz offers a crystal-clear portrait of American history, told through politicians and egalitarians including Thomas Paine, Abraham Lincoln, and W. E. B. Du Bois--a portrait that runs counter to current political and historical thinking. As he did with his acclaimed The Rise of American Democracy, Wilentz once again completely transforms our understanding of this nation's political and moral character.

  • Format: TradePaperback
  • Author: Wilentz, Sean
  • ISBN: 9780393354133
  • Condition: Used
  • Dimensions: 7.90 x 1.10
  • Number Of Pages: 400
  • Publication Year: 2017
Language: English

Customer Reviews