Liberty and Coercion: The Paradox of American Government from the Founding to the Present

Description

American governance is burdened by a paradox. On the one hand, Americans don't want "big government" meddling in their lives; on the other hand, they have repeatedly enlisted governmental help to impose their views regarding marriage, abortion, religion, and schooling on their neighbors. These contradictory stances on the role of public power have

Gary Gerstle is the Paul Mellon Professor of American History at the University of Cambridge. His many books include American Crucible and The Rise and Fall of the New Deal Order (both Princeton). He lives in Cambridge, England, and Cambridge, Massachusetts.

New York Times Book Review Editors' Choice Winner of the 2016 Ellis W. Hawley Prize, Organization of American Historians "Terrific, engaging and deeply analytical... One of our finest political historians, Gerstle aims for chronological sweep rather than a deep archival dive... The excitement of [his] book lies in his ability to tell this story anew."--Beverly Gage, New York Times "Liberty and Coercion is a towering achievement, bristling with stimulating arguments and historical erudition."--Desmond King, Financial Times "[A] triumph."--Bookforum "[A]n informative and sophisticated account of the impact and import of this contradiction throughout American history... [A] thoughtful and timely book about the character and constraints of American politics."--Tulsa World "[A] pathbreaking interpretive approach... By no means is this a book for historians only. It should be widely read, its arguments widely considered. And the evidence Gerstle adduces ought to be sobering for everyone."--James Banner, Weekly Standard "A tour de force account of American governance."--Thomas Rodgers, Reviews in History "[A] brilliant work of American political history."--National Book Review "Liberty and Coercion is a pitch-perfect analysis of the contradictions built into America's federalist system. It's serious and disciplined yet piquant, provocative, and highly readable."--Mark Joseph Stern, Slate "Gary Gerstle's complex book shines a light down countless twisted alleyways and switchbacks of America's past... [An] enlightening, alarming analysis."--Elizabeth Cobbs, Times Higher Education "Provocative."--Alan Ehrenhalt, Governing Magazine "[A] clear, wide-ranging work of political history... He develops considerable evidence for improvisational state-building and draws out the problematic implications of relying on strategies that effectively expand federal power without the accompanying constitutional authority."--Choice "This is a powerful and important book that will reshape the way most readers think about United States history and governance. Gary Gerstle ... has drawn on a lifetime of reading and teaching to produce this masterwork... A highly readable, deeply sourced, magisterial narrative."--David C. Unger, Survival "Like Margot Canaday's The Straight State: Sexuality and Citizenship in Twentieth-Century America (2011), Liberty and Coercion has harnessed several historiographic traditions that have much to say to each other yet have failed to engage one another for too long. From the APD side of the table, scholars like Ira Katznelson, Jim Morone, and Rogers Smith have done the same. Gerstle has enriched that conversation and staked out an important place for historians in it."--Brian Balogh, American Historical Review "A masterful overview of the dynamics that have shaped American politics... Anyone who shares Gerstle's conviction that our democracy should be moving toward greater equality and inclusion, and who seeks a clearer understanding of what we are up against as we work toward those ideals, should read Liberty and Coercion."--James Kloppenberg, Commonweal "Immensely illuminating... It is no surprise that Liberty and Coercion is already winning awards."--Sanford Levinson, The Register