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The book continues to be an good marxist interpretation of US history...I wouildnt recommend it as a primary text, though. Its a great supplementary text to be ready alongside a more mainstream history.
However, some quibbles and comments.
Hes' good on the USSC of the later part of the 19th century (very relevant for our times, BTW), but he gives a just a brief & somewhat negative mention to the Grangers Yet he discusses some early legal decisions on regulation (Munn vs Illinois, the Wabash case) prior to his mention of the Grangers, but does not credit the Grangers for pushing these laws. The cases he refers to are called the Granger Laws or the Granger cases. I think thats becuase he wants to push the Populists as more "revolutionary" type of agrarian rebellion and maybe downplay legistlative remedys to capitalism. I notice he isn't too enthusiastic about the Populists choosing electoral politics or their ulimtate fusion w. the Democrats.
I'm really suprised he omitted the anti-German hysteria when the US entered WWI, given his discussion of the organization of pro-war sentiment and anti-war repression. He did focus on the repression of the socilialists and the people who where anti war but made no mention of the anit German thing, which was a big deal in some of the other history I've read (& have been taught). I think this is because it sort of conflicts with his emphasis that public opinion had to be molded and lead and there was no big grassroots war hysteria when we went into WWI. He does note the Lusitania was indeed carrrying a boatload of munitions as well as passengers...I first read about that in the German press (due to a recent diving expedition to the ship that did find the arms).
In the chapter on the Depression he confirmed somehting I supsected. He quotes a Charles Walker: " I find it no secret that the Communists organize Unemployed Councils in most citys and usually lead them..."
OK, there is or was an Unemployed Council here in Dayton, and I went to some meetings that had people who belonged to it or where affliated with it. I sort of suspected there was somethin up with them as they where quite vocal and usually showed up at activist things...one of them even ran for state rep as a Green. Now, because of Zinns book, I know these councils where started as Communist fronts. Interesting.
*********************************************************8 One of the best things in this book for me was the revelation of the brutality of the Phillipine Insurrection. I guess to put down a guerilla war you really DO have to resort to some level of genocide, which seems to be what we did during that war. A really ugly episode in US history.
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