The Decline of American Liberalism

In this acclaimed classic, historian Arthur Ekirch chronicles the powerful and moving story of individual liberty across three centuries of American history, arguing that liberalism in America was at its strongest during the Revolutionary War and has experienced a long yet bumpy decline ever since. He makes a compelling case that the country’s future depends upon the popular re-establishment of a worldview based on liberty, peace, and the rule of law.Readers across the political spectrum will be fascinated by this widely celebrated and beautifully written book, as Ekirch traces how the ideals of individual liberty, free markets, and self-government have weathered the Revolutionary War, Civil War, two World Wars, Great Depression, and civil rights battles. The book’s far-reaching discussion of the growth of government and its negative effects on the economy, peace, and the rule of law is highly illuminating for modern readers who currently face unprecedented expansions of the size and reach of State power. Read more