Liberty and Power: The Politics of Jacksonian America

From Library Journal
Despite its subtitle, this is much more than just another study of Jacksonian-era politics. Instead, Watson has integrated recent literature and traditional themes to produce a persuasive and well-written survey of public life from 1816 to 1848. He shows how social, cultural, and economic factors interacted with politics, and stresses as a major theme the tension between liberty and power that both characterized the period and forms part of its historical legacy. His explanations of republican theory and the fight over the Bank of the United States are particularly clear, and there are also good sections on slavery, the Indians, and the changing role of women. Recent scholarship has dated well-known previous surveys of Jacksonian America. For now, this should be the volume of choice. For most libraries.-- Jonathan D. Sarna, Hebrew Union Coll.Jewish Inst. of Religion, CincinnatiCopyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.


Thomas P. Slaughter, Rutgers University
"A superb book-indeed, a model of its kind."


Review
"This is a superb book--indeed, a model of its kind."--Thomas P. Slaughter, Rutgers University

"The finest concise narrative history of Jacksonian America to appear in thirty years."--Sean Wilentz, Princeton University.

"A splendid achievement, sane, balanced, beautifully written."--Michael F. Holt, University of Virginia



Review
"This is a superb book--indeed, a model of its kind."--Thomas P. Slaughter, Rutgers University

"The finest concise narrative history of Jacksonian America to appear in thirty years."--Sean Wilentz, Princeton University.

"A splendid achievement, sane, balanced, beautifully written."--Michael F. Holt, University of Virginia



Book Description
The raucous political debates of Jacksonian America often seemed to pit those who defended the ideals of liberty against those who asserted power. Harry L. Watson argues that these were serious policy disputes about the future of the Republic and the nature of its society and economy, and they led to intensified public involvement in politics and enduring political parties. His narrative shows how religious revivalism, new waves of immigration, westward expansion, the deeply divisive issue of Afro-American slavery, nascent industrialism, and other socioeconomic forces put strains on America's political framework and, in the end, transformed it.



About the Author
Harry L. Watson, professor of history at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, is the author of Jacksonian Politics and Community Conflict and An Independent People.



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Despite its subtitle, this is much more than just another study of Jacksonian-era politics. Instead, Watson has integrated recent literature and traditional themes to produce a persuasive and well-written survey of public life from 1816 to 1848. He shows how social, cultural, and economic factors interacted with politics, and stresses as a major theme the tension between liberty and power that both characterized the period and forms part of its historical legacy. His explanations of republican theory and the fight over the Bank of the United States are particularly clear, and there are also good sections on slavery, the Indians, and the changing role of women. Recent scholarship has dated well-known previous surveys of Jacksonian America. For now, this should be the volume of choice. For most libraries.-- Jonathan D. Sarna, Hebrew Union Coll.-Jewish Inst. of Religion, Cincinnati


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