With extensive research and clear reasoning, Radwell demonstrates how these distinct groups can be viewed as forerunners of the “two Americas” we see today, linked by their understanding of government as a social contract but differing sharply on fundamentals such as who the contract applies to, what it should offer, and who should have the power to administer and enforce it. He introduces the third major element in the “crucible of the American landscape”—Counter-Enlightenment populist movements—persuasively connecting the currents of history to insightful discussions of the Trump phenomenon.
Radwell fervently believes that Americans must again embrace the Enlightenment’s legacies of rational thought, empirical facts, and reasoned debate to counter our social and political dysfunction and preserve our democracy, Still, he’s sensitive to alternative viewpoints, addressing postmodern and Marxist critiques of the Enlightenment’s significance and acknowledging its historical limitations around race, class, and gender. Radwell’s exhaustive thoroughness may overwhelm casual readers, but his clear organization and smooth, engaging prose make the complex and nuanced arguments approachable. Readers seeking a better understanding of the headwaters of U.S. politics will be fascinated and inspired by Radwell’s commitment to Enlightenment principles.
Takeaway: An impassioned analysis of the foundational forces that shaped American democracy and a call for protecting its future.
Great for fans of: Henry F. May’s The Enlightenment in American, Anne Applebaum’s
Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A
