Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr. and the Ideological History of American Liberalism

Examines the origin, elements, and evolving significance of the "e;tides"e; in the discourse of Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr. Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr., is a historian and political advocate whose ideas and activities have significantly influenced the shape and direction of American liberalism during the past fifty years. A central feature of Schlesinger's ideological perspective is his belief that American history has been marked by alternating periods of conservative and liberal dominance, which he has termed the "e;tides of national politics."e; Throughout his career, Schlesinger has used the "e;tides of national politics"e; to defend the legitimacy and superiority of active liberal government and leadership. The study investigates how the "e;tides"e; concept has functioned in both Schlesinger's historical scholarship and his partisan political discourse. Depoe also explores the ways in which the "e;tides"e; concept has shaped and channeled Schlesinger's political thought over time, leading him toward certain definitions of situations and away from others. Finally, Depoe offers Schlesinger's life and work as a case study of the highs and lows of postwar American liberalism. By tracing Schlesinger's responses to Eisenhower-era conservatism, Kennedy's New Frontier, and the problems of Vietnam and violence during the 1960s, and the gradual delegitimation of liberalism from the 1970s to the present, this book offers a road map that can guide the reader toward a better understanding of the past, present, and future of liberalism in America.