Comments on: Whigs!

By: Thug Whig Life! « The United States of Jamerica

Thug Whig Life! « The United States of Jamerica — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 02:00:44 +0000

[...] Whig Life! 2009 July 13 by Jamelle The League’s William Bradford writes a brief (and very good) defense of the ill-fated Whig party: Although I’m planning to read a more [...]

By: razib

razib — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 21:06:23 +0000

i read wilentz and howe’s book in sequence in that order. good complements.

By: Drew

Drew — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 19:50:08 +0000

You have got to pick up Schlesinger’s Age of Jackson. So many parallels to today that it hurts. It really does. The Bank fight is almost EXACTLY what is happening today. The banks are bad guys…not always the worst guys but reliably they are bad guys. Wm Henry Harrison? The first cipher Presidential candidate — Reagan and Bush2. Tyler? Well how close did Sarah Palin or Dan Quayle get to the Presidency. Shutting off lights in Albany last month? Been there done that in Tammany Hall.

You have to read it understanding that Indians and slaves didn’t count for that much in 1945 let alone 1845.

Read the damn book.

By: William Brafford

William Brafford — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 18:43:35 +0000

That one came up in the footnotes — I’ll keep it in mind for the future. Thanks!

By: William Brafford

William Brafford — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 18:42:57 +0000

I’m going to try to keep reading my way through the nineteenth century over the next few years — I’m not sure where I’d land later in the century.

By: William Brafford

William Brafford — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 18:39:41 +0000

Howe mentions Wilentz’s book as one that he disagrees with, though I can’t remember if he says anything beyond that. Thanks for that link, too — it is hard to figure out who’s in the right without being able to see the original review.

It’s a fascinating era, isn’t it? Some of its dirty politicking puts our own time into perspective. I get the feeling that there’s an affinity of spirit between the today’s partisan blogs and the pre-civil war partisan press.

By: Buce

Buce — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 03:34:17 +0000

Charles Selleres, The Market Revolution: Jacksonian America, 1815-46 (1991), not about Jackson per se, more on the period and context.

By: Michael

Michael — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 01:21:15 +0000

Big Teddy Roosevelt fan right here. I’m looking forward to getting a grounding in the 19th century so I know exactly how the Republicans got to where they were in TR’s days.

By: Kyle

Kyle — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 01:02:12 +0000

Love the post William.

As confused as I am about contemporary issues, it’s nice to be able to take a stand somewhere. Here’s to the Whigs!

I’m pretty close to that sentiment, but I’d fit right at home as a turn of the 19th/20th century Republican. Back when they were socially progressive, fiscally responsible, and had a healthy respect for Federalism.

By: Michael

Michael — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 00:40:47 +0000

Oh, also:

So far, I think that Wilentz has been very sympathetic to Jackson. I have noted multiple instances of his writing something like, “Traditionally historians have attributed Jackson’s actions to _____; however, closer examination shows that he was merely being a shrewd politician/really this action fit perfectly well within his larger political philosophy/whatever.” … For what it’s worth. I am still around 1834 right now, though, so the Whigs haven’t gotten a whole lot of coverage just yet; they don’t seem to be really mobilized right now, but I can see the rumblings and imagine the kind of coalition that’s about to arise.