All the World's a Fair: Visions of Empire at American International Expositions, 1876-1916 [Paperback]

Robert W. Rydell (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0226732401 | ISBN-13: 978-0226732404 | Publication Date: October 15, 1987

Robert W. Rydell contends that America's early world's fairs actually served to legitimate racial exploitation at home and the creation of an empire abroad. He looks in particular to the "ethnological" displays of nonwhites—set up by showmen but endorsed by prominent anthropologists—which lent scientific credibility to popular racial attitudes and helped build public support for domestic and foreign policies. Rydell's lively and thought-provoking study draws on archival records, newspaper and magazine articles, guidebooks, popular novels, and oral histories.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Robert W. Rydell is professor of history at Montana State University and served as John Adams Professor of American Civilization at the University of Amsterdam.

Product Details

• Paperback: 338 pages
• Publisher: University Of Chicago Press (October 15, 1987)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0226732401
• ISBN-13: 978-0226732404
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.1 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #142,205 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great historical study, May 19, 1999

By 

Paul McGinnis - See all my reviews

This review is from: All the World's a Fair: Visions of Empire at American International Expositions, 1876-1916 (Paperback)

This book is an extensive study of American World's Fairs from 1876 to 1915, a pivotal period in this country's history. The author gives a lot of historical background about that era, plus a lot of well-researched information about the expositions of that period. He does a great job of showing how these expositions were designed to lure the public into supporting the interests of the power structure of the time. In addition to the text, there are a lot of photographs, some quite rare, to give the reader a feel for these expositions.

13 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars World's Fairs and the Leisure Class, December 8, 2001

By 

Tanja M. Laden (Los Angeles, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: All the World's a Fair: Visions of Empire at American International Expositions, 1876-1916 (Paperback)

Robert W. Rydell's book, All the World's a Fair: Visions of Empire at American International Expositions, 1876-1916 is far different a study than Roy Rosenzweig's, yet it offers some interesting insights into how the moneyed leisure class still indulged in luxuries of their own. Rydell writes that the impetus behind world's fairs was to boost the economy while maintaining an American authority over the displays. Just as saloons and amusement parks were necessary for America's working class, the World's Fairs were designed for the leisure class.
The world fairs of 1876-1916 betrayed a much more sinister agenda. Ideas of American progressed became related to scientific racism. The widening concern over immigration by the leisure class eventually promoted eugenicist ideas about the hierarchy of white populations.
World's fairs did not stand in direct opposition to the leisure pastimes of the working class. In fact, they utilized them to "scientifically" and racially segregate members of the American population.
Rydell argues that the world's fairs in America from 1876-1916 were a material vision of political, business, and intellectuals to promote their vision of racial dominance. Thus, so far we have witnessed segregation of leisure along class lines but not until reading , All the World's a Fair: Visions of Empire at American International Expositions, 1876-1916 is it so clear that the elements of leisure rested on racial superiority.