Publisher's Synopsis
American Politics in the 20th Century is a wonderful addition to Bluewood Books' 20th Century Series. Abraham Lincoln described democracy as government of the people, by the people, and for the people. Government in America has evolved from the system of pure democracy of the early Greeks to what is now commonly called a democratic republic, or government through freely elected representatives. American Politics in the 20th Century is jam-packed with fascinating facts and information, chronicling the history of national, state, and local politics as well as significant international events. The book details the evolution of major political entities, people, ideals and trends including political parties, national conventions and elections, backroom bosses and candidates, special interest and lobbying groups, campaign strategies, tactics and reform, platforms and issues, fund-raising corruption and scandals, the role of the media, and much more! Read about the domination by the Republican Party (it won 14 of 18 presidential elections from 1860 to 1932) and the new use of primary elections at the turn of the century; the election of Woodrow Wilson using the New Freedom platform and the formation of the Progressive, or Bull Moose Party in 1912 and the ratification of the Seventeenth Amendment in 1913; a succession of Republican administrations in the '20s; FDRs New Deal of the '30s; the prematurely proclaimed Dewey victory over incumbent president Truman and the beginning of the Cold War in the '40s; the Eisenhower era, Nixon's Checkers speech, and McCarthyism in the '50s; the assassinations of JFK, RFK and Martin Luther King, Jr., and the anti-war protests and race riots of the'60s; the Watergate scandal and Nixon's resignation in the '70s; the Reagan era and the Iran-Contra scandal of the '80s; and the turbulent '90s, including President Clinton's latest political troubles. American Politics in the 20th Century is written in a clear and concise manner and presents the reader with a well organized and easy to follow format, including a detailed chronology section and decade-by-decade chapters along with numerous photos and sidebars full of interesting facts and information. -Thorough Chronology of Milestone Events -Ten Chapters - One for Each Decade -Filled with Fascinating Facts, Events and People -Packed with Interesting Sidebars -Over 100 Photographs and Illustrations -Complete Index
