Shattered Consensus: The Rise and Decline of America's Postwar Political Order

Description

The United States has been shaped by three sweeping political revolutions: Jefferson's "revolution of 1800," the Civil War, and the New Deal. Each of these upheavals concluded with lasting institutional and cultural adjustments that set the stage for a new phase of political and economic development. Are we on the verge of another upheaval, a "fourth revolution" that will reshape U.S. politics for decades to come? There are signs to suggest that we are. James Piereson describes the inevitable political turmoil that will overtake the United States in the next decade as a consequence of economic stagnation, the unsustainable growth of government, and the exhaustion of postwar arrangements that formerly underpinned American prosperity and power. The challenges of public debt, the retirement of the "baby boom" generation, and slow economic growth have reached a point where they require profound changes in the role of government in American life. At the same time, the widening gulf between the two political parties and the entrenched power of interest groups will make it difficult to negotiate the changes needed to renew the system. Shattered Consensus places this impending upheaval in historical context, reminding readers that Americans have faced and overcome similar trials in the past, in relatively brief but intense periods of political conflict. While others claim that the United States is in decline, Piereson argues that Americans will rise to the challenge of forming a new governing coalition that can guide the nation on a path of dynamism and prosperity.

James Piereson is president of the William E. Simon Foundation and a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute, where he directs the Center for the American University. He has served as executive director and trustee of the John M. Olin Foundation, and has taught political science at several prominent universities. He is a frequent contributor to various journals and newspapers, including The New Criterion, Commentary, and The Weekly Standard. He is the author of Camelot and the Cultural Revolution: How the Assassination of John F. Kennedy Shattered American Liberalism. Mr. Piereson lives in New York City.

"This collection of James Piereson's lapidary essays secures his place among America's leading conservative intellectuals and cultural critics." --George F. Will "James Piereson's insights into various aspects of America's current political order are always well-grounded and well-argued, often unconventional, and sometimes alarming. This is one of the most thought-provoking volumes I've read in a long time." --William Kristol, editor of The Weekly Standard "The timeliest of books, Shattered Consensus is a must-read for anyone who wants to understand the 2016 election campaign. The book is also crucial reading for those who seek to gain a better understanding of our financial crises, both past and future." --Amity Shlaes, author of Coolidge and The Forgotten Man: A New History of the Great Depression "James Piereson reminds us that so much of what we have been told by modern-day economists is flat-out wrong. America needs to relearn how economies really work, and reading this book is a good start." --Stephen Moore, chief economist at the Heritage Foundation