American Conservatism: History, Theory, and Practice - gebunden oder broschiert

American Conservatism: History, Theory, and Practice from Brian R. Farmer is a history of conservatism in the United States that illuminates the odyssey of American conservatism beginning with the Pilgrims and Puritans of the early colonial period and proceeding through the Revolutionary era, the Antebellum period, the Age of Laissez-Faire, Post-Depression Conservatism, the Reagan Era, and concluding with the ideologies and policies of the George W. Bush Administration, arguably the most ideologically driven conservative administration in American history. Conservatism in general and the multiple facets of conservatism are defined, and the political socialization process that produces and perpetuates political ideologies in general and conservatism in particular are presented, to lay the groundwork for the rich history of American people, policies, and events that have surrounded those conservative ideologies that follows. Farmer provides a tool for those interested in American Politics in general and American conservatism in particular with a tool that helps explain the historical development of American ideological conservatism, both in a theoretical sense, and in a policy sense, and thus draws a connection between the American past and what must be considered an exceptional conservative American administration, even by American standards, under George W. Bush. Farmer illustrates that the basic ideological underpinnings that have driven the Bush administration that have generally been viewed by Europeans as exceptional, have been present in American politics since its earliest colonial beginnings with the Puritans and been carried forward by the ideological descendants of the Puritans from that time through the present. In essence, the form of American conservative exceptionalism exhibited during the Bush administration was present in American politics from the very beginning and has continued through the present, albeit in a more extreme form since the traditional ideological conservatives currently dominate all three branches of the American government and the terror attacks of 9/11 allowed them to garner popular support for their exceptional programs. 'The remarkable electoral record of the Conservative Party in the Twentieth Century has not been matched by a corresponding level of academic interest. This relative neglect has left important gaps in our knowledge of post-war British political history. For example, the governments of Harold Macmillan and Alec Douglas-Home (1957-64) are often misunderstood. Popular memories of this period are dominated by the Profumo Affair and the satire boom of the early 1960s, which gave the impression of a Conservative Party which was out of touch with social change. Stuart Mitchell's important study will help to revise this dominant impression. Drawing on all the main primary sources, he shows that the Conservatives were accutely aware of the challenges of modernity. Indeed, many of their problems arose from their various attempts to adapt to social and economic change. Mitchell presents an engrossing account of the struggle between 'modernisers' and more traditional figures within the party. This gives his book considerable topical relevance, in addition to its merits as a well-researched contribution to political history.' Dr. Mark Garnett, Research Fellow, University of Leicester