
Era of Experimentation
American Political Practices in the Early Republic
Daniel Peart(Author)
University of Virginia Press
Will be published approx. on 5. May 2014
Book
Hardback
232 pages
978-0-8139-3560-7 (ISBN)
Description
In Era of Experimentation, Daniel Peart challenges the pervasive assumption that the present-day political system, organized around two competing parties, represents the logical fulfilment of participatory democracy. Recent accounts of ""the rise of American democracy"" between the Revolution and the Civil War applaud political parties for opening up public life to mass participation and making government responsive to the people. Yet this celebratory narrative tells only half of the story.
By exploring American political practices during the early 1820s, a period of particular flux in the young republic, Peart argues that while parties could serve as vehicles for mass participation, they could also be employed to channel, control, and even curb it. Far from equating democracy with the party system, Americans freely experimented with alternative forms of political organization and resisted efforts to confine their public presence to the polling place.
Era of Experimentation demonstrates the sheer variety of political practices that made up what subsequent scholars have labelled ""democracy"" in the early United States. Peart also highlights some overlooked consequences of the nationalization of competitive two-party politics during the antebellum period, particularly with regard to the closing of alternative avenues for popular participation.
By exploring American political practices during the early 1820s, a period of particular flux in the young republic, Peart argues that while parties could serve as vehicles for mass participation, they could also be employed to channel, control, and even curb it. Far from equating democracy with the party system, Americans freely experimented with alternative forms of political organization and resisted efforts to confine their public presence to the polling place.
Era of Experimentation demonstrates the sheer variety of political practices that made up what subsequent scholars have labelled ""democracy"" in the early United States. Peart also highlights some overlooked consequences of the nationalization of competitive two-party politics during the antebellum period, particularly with regard to the closing of alternative avenues for popular participation.
More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
Charlottesville
United States
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Illustrations
1 graph, 11 tables
Dimensions
Height: 229 mm
Width: 152 mm
Thickness: 24 mm
Weight
500 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-8139-3560-7 (9780813935607)
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Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

E-Book
05/2014
1st Edition
Naval Institute Press
from
€66.49
Available for download
Person
Daniel Peart is Lecturer in American History at Queen Mary University of London, USA.