Customer Reviews

The Roots of the Modern American Empire

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Modern historians, particularly conservatives, like to criticize William Appleman Williams on account of his "revisionist" style. But what was radical 35-40 years ago is not necessarily still radical today. In Roots of the Modern American Empire, Williams attempts to illustrate how America's agricultural sector, rather than the industrial sector, was the driving force behind America's quest for empire in the late nineteenth century. His sources are deep as he quotes people nobody's ever heard of. He makes a strong point, and the reader walks away from the book convinced to a degree that Williams is correct.

But is his book really radical? Not really. He was at the University of Wisconsin when he wrote this book and many Wisconsin history department factors come to play. He fully supports the frontier thesis of his own PhD. mentor, Frederick Jackson Turner. Williams never doubts Turner's conclusions and seems to promote them at every opportunity. To Williams the frontier was the great "safety valve" that allowed Americans to continually move west in search of new land. In chosing agriculture as the emphasis in the book Williams is really restating the obvious. More Americans were employed in agriculture and agribusiness than any other sector in this time frame. It only makes sense that these groups coalesced into an empire-building force for new markets.

Williams overlooks some area. Co-ops are not mentioned and there are apparent contradictions when he discusses the south's antebellum political power then slides over to show how the eastern metropolis wielded power in American politics. He doesn't always transition smoothly.

Ironically, Williams' own PhD. student, Walter Lefeber, wrote a book on the same topic of American empire building and used a more generally accepted thesis of industrialism as the moving force. But Williams' depth of understanding of his subject resonates strong with the reader and one cannot help but agree with him that agriculture was the true source of income for most Americans and the politicians catered to this large voting bloc.