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OverviewEminent Victorians on American Democracy surveys a wide range of British opinion on the United States in the nineteenth century. It highlights the views of John Stuart Mill, Walter Bagehot, Sir Henry Maine, and James Bryce, who wrote extensively on American government and society. America was significant to them not only because it was the world's most advanced democracy, but also because it was a political experiment that was seen to anticipate the future of Britain.The Victorians made a memorable contribution to the continuing debate over the character and origins of democracy through their perceptive examination of issues ranging from the US Constitution to its practical application, from the Supreme Court to the party system. Their trenchant commentary punctures several popular American assumptions, not least the idea of 'exceptionalism'.What distinguishes the Victorian writers was their willingness to examine the US Constitution dispassionately at a time when Americans treated it as a sacred document. Although the United States has changed dramatically since they wrote, much of their commentary remains remarkably prescient, if only because the American government retains so much of its eighteenth-century character. Today, when rival American priesthoods see the Constitution in the light of their particular altars, it is worth revisiting what leading Victorians had to say about it. Full Product DetailsAuthor: Frank Prochaska (University of Oxford)Publisher: Oxford University Press Imprint: Oxford University Press Dimensions: Width: 14.00cm , Height: 1.00cm , Length: 21.80cm Weight: 0.244kg ISBN: 9780199653799ISBN 10: 0199653798 Pages: 184 Publication Date: 03 October 2013 Audience: College/higher education , Professional and scholarly , Postgraduate, Research & Scholarly , Professional & Vocational Format: Paperback Publisher's Status: Active Availability: To order  Stock availability from the supplier is unknown. We will order it for you and ship this item to you once it is received by us. Table of Contents1: Introduction: Transatlantic Attitudes 2: John Stuart Mill: The Tyranny of Conformity 3: Walter Bagehot: The Tyranny of the Constitution 4: Sir Henry Maine: Democracy Denied 5: James Bryce: Anglo-Saxon Democracy 6: Conclusion: Anglo-American Exceptionalism Notes IndexReviewsFrank Prochaskas new book is something of a manifesto. * Robert Saunders, The English Historical Review. Volume 128, Issue 533. * ... a succinct, elegantly written and insightful piece ... a stimulating, erudite, and startlingly perceptive read. * Patrick M. Kirkwood, H-Empire. * this admirably accessible study should realise Prochaska's aim of encoraging his readers to 'return to the writings of these exceptional thinkers'. * James Owen, History * The book is well-written and thoroughly researched; it is accessible to a broad, educated audience; and it contributes valuably to the study of the American Constitution and its reception and influence abroad. * Alex Zakaras, History * Frank Prochaskas new book is something of a manifesto. Robert Saunders, The English Historical Review. Volume 128, Issue 533. ... a succinct, elegantly written and insightful piece ... a stimulating, erudite, and startlingly perceptive read. Patrick M. Kirkwood, H-Empire. Author InformationFrank Prochaska was born and educated in America but has lived much of his life in England. His previous books include The Eagle and the Crown: Americans and the British Monarchy (2008); Christianity and Social Service in Modern Britain (2006); The Republic of Britain 1760-2000 (2000); Royal Bounty: The Making of a Welfare Monarchy (1995); The Voluntary Impulse (1988), and Women and Philanthropy in Nineteenth-Century England (1980). He taught British history at Yale for many years and is an Honorary Fellow of the Institute of Historical Research, London University. Tab Content 6Author Website:Countries AvailableAll regions |
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