The Vermont Manifesto: The Second Vermont Republic [Paperback]

Thomas H. Naylor (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 7, 2003

Not unlike other states, Vermont's quality of life, political independence, and sustainability are threatened by Corporate America, the U.S. government, the war on terrorism, homeland security, American imperialism, and globalization. This is a call for V

Editorial Reviews

Review

"From the standpoint of puppeteers and their subversive papiermâché, Vermont Second Republic sounds like a good idea to fight megalomania." -- Peter Schumann, Founder, Bread & Puppet Theater

"I must assure you of my pleasure in, and approval of, your views on the Second Vermont Republic." -- John Kenneth Galbraith, Retired Harvard Economist

"In the idea of the three American states' ultimate independence, I see nothing fanciful." -- George F. Kennan, Former Ambassador to Russia and Professor Emeritus, Institute for Advanced Studies, Princeton

"Naylor makes the case for an independent Vermont that could enter the world of nations and begin disuniting the U.S." -- Frank Bryan, University of Vermont Professor and Author of Real Democracy

"Professor Naylor has made a compelling case that Vermont would be better off out of the Union than in it." -- Donald W. Livingston, Professor of Philosophy, Emory University

"There are few radical thinkers. Naylor is one of the most courageous. Distinguished, deeply moral, genius wild man." -- Carolyn Chute, Author of The Beans of Egypt, Maine, Merry Men and Snow Man

"Thomas Naylor makes a powerful case for an independent Vermont. Folks may be ready to consider his wise radicalism." -- Bill Kauffman, Author of Dispatches from The Muckdog Gazette

"Vermont Manifesto is a serious examination of our right of self governance and that right's implication for secession." -- Walter E. Williams, Professor of Economics, George Mason University

About the Author

Professor Emeritus of Economics at Duke University, Thomas H. Naylor is a writer and a social critic who has taught at Middlebury College. An international management consultant specializing in strategic management, Dr. Naylor has consulted with governmen

Product Details

• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: Xlibris (October 7, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1413413080
• ISBN-13: 978-1413413083
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,226,635 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Leading Voice for Non-Violent Secession from the Union, April 12, 2006

By 

Robert D. Steele (Oakton, VA United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

This review is from: The Vermont Manifesto: The Second Vermont Republic (Paperback)

The US federal government is failing to serve the people, and according to the precepts of the American Republic, that gives the people the right to abolish the government. In the case of the Second Vermont Republic, the author and his very thoughtful colleagues are proposing instead to succeed from the Federal Union that is not Federal anymore--the federal government is now a "hired hand" for Wall Street and a servant to dictators of Saudi Arabia as well as the Israeli lobby.

Professor Naylor, also a successful software businessman many years ago, is a citizen-philosopher and by no stretch of the imagination could he be labeled "fringe." In his case, radical is the opposite of reactionary, and exactly where we need to be.

The elements of the Vermont Manifesto are ten in total: political independence; grass roots democracy; nonviolence; environmental integrity; sustainable development; regional trade; sustainable agriculture; rail revitalization; quality education; and wellness.

The premises of the Vermont Manifesto, apart from recognition of the corruption and immorality that prevail on Wall Street and the energy industry and their servants in Congress and the White House, is that big is bad and small is good. This is totally consistent with the end of Peak Oil and the need to get back to localized sustainable energy and food production that does not need to be transported great distances. The Vermont Manifesto also recognizes that evil done by the American Empire "in our name" ultimately comes back to pillage and loot the state-level commonwealths.

Lest anyone think this book is "fringe" I would point to my many other reviews (I am the #1 Amazon reviewer for non-fiction about foreign policy--I would not be reviewing this book if it were not fundamental), but especially to my review of, and the book itself, Joel Garreau, The Nine Nations of North America and more recently, a swath of books on the Iraq blunders and the immorality of George Bush and Dick Cheney, such as:

Vice: Dick Cheney and the Hijacking of the American Presidency

Weapons of Mass Deception: The Uses of Propaganda in Bush's War on Iraq

Fiasco: The American Military Adventure in Iraq

The Sorrows of Empire: Militarism, Secrecy, and the End of the Republic (The American Empire Project)

Failed States: The Abuse of Power and the Assault on Democracy

Why the Rest Hates the West: Understanding the Roots of Global Rage

It is clear to me that sanity is re-asserting itself in the Pacific Northwest and the far Northeast. This specific book would be useful to every single state in America, and I have a specific question that every single state should put on its 2008 ballot:

"Should we join a Constitutional Convention to discuss the abolishment of the present government and the reconstitution of the Americas as a new Republic that restores representative democracy and moral capitalism?"

There are 27 secessionist movements in the USA, among which Vermont and the Pacific Northwest are the strongest and most reasoned. No President can take office in 2009 without fully understanding the legitimate grievances represented by this book and the varied secessionist movements.

There is another angle from which to appreciate this book as well. The federal government has failed to adapt, as Katrina and other disasters have shown us. The some of the following books on how a combination of Ron Paul's restoration of Jeffersonian diplomacy and a regionalization of America might increase our resilience, especially if combined with an end to absentee landlords and a greening of America.

The Collapse of Complex Societies (New Studies in Archaeology)

Catastrophe & Culture: The Anthropology of Disaster (School of American Research Advanced Seminar Series)

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must for all striving for social justice, September 10, 2004

By 

Gavin Beeker (Keene, NH) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Vermont Manifesto (Hardcover)

Mr. Naylor, Professor emeritus of Duke University, presents an articulate and effective argument for native Vermonters and flatlanders alike. Its points are simple and clear, making for an enjoyable, informative read.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars makes a rock solid case, June 2, 2008

By 

Adam Briggs (Burlington, VT) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Vermont Manifesto: The Second Vermont Republic (Paperback)

The courageously named The Vermont Manifesto is a brilliant piece of persuasion that makes a very strong argument for the failure of The United States as a country. Of course people with a blind sense of patriotism (is there really any other kind?) will view this book as blasphemy, but the historical truth is no empire in the history of the human race has or ever will last. America has become an empire just as much as The Roman Empire was, and sane solutions to this problem are very rare indeed. This book provides a very sane answer, although it will take a very long time for it to be accepted by the mainstream. I love that this book doesn't pull any punches. It's both well researched, and a pleasure to read. Even if you aren't in favor of succession, it's good to know that the argument is there, and isn't nearly as crazy as most probably assume it is.