THE AMERICAN AS REFORMER

By one of the leading, interpretative historians of our time, this short study was made possible by the Haynes' Foundation and is an informed, stimulating consideration of the reform impulse in America, from its first upsurge in 1841 with Emerson to its abiding vitality derived from the Declaration of Independence. Schlesinger uses the instance of abolitionism as the illustration of the reform impulse in action, later goes on to show how in our two party political system, minor reform parties which have sporadically emerged have been usually ineffectual, sometimes harmful. And in his closing commentary on the nature of the reformer and revolt, he examines the "badly mauled" terms- American and Americanism-shows how in our hatred of Communism we are also jeopardizing our heritage of freedom. An essay which has both political and philosophical, historical and contemporary significance.