Customer Reviews

The Radical Middle Class: Populist Democracy and the Question of Capitalism in Progressive Era Portland, Oregon (Politics and Society in Twentieth Century America)

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

First, Johnston's study is quite interesting, and is a worthwhile read. Possibly his most important contribution is the fusing of scholarship concerning populism and progressivism; specifically, how populist reforms were couched in progressive and democratic terms (and sometimes vice versa). Also contains interesting chapters revaluating the historical scholarship concerning class contours in the progressive era.

The only thing that made me hesitant in giving him 5 stars is his (sometimes) terribly pompous prose. He dismisses other scholars work without really giving them due credit, and announces himself as the first scholar to unearth the "radical" nature of the middle class, which is simply not true. For this reason, the introduction and first chapters were nearly unbearable. The last 3/4 of the book are good enough that they outweigh these faults.