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A Necessary Evil: A History of American Distrust of Government

In A Necessary Evil, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Wills shows that distrust of government is embedded deep in the American psyche. From the revolt of the colonies against king & parliament to present-day tax revolts, militia movements & term limits debates, he shows that American antigovernment sentiment is based on a fundamental misunderstanding of history. By debunking myths about the Founding Fathers, the Constitution & the taming of the frontier, he shows how tendencies to hold our elected government in disdain are misguided.

1 Revolutionary myths.

Minutemen

Term limits

2 Constitutional myths.

Sovereign states

Checking efficiency

Co-equal branches

The uses of faction

Bill of Rights

No standing army

3 Nullifiers.

John Taylor of Caroline: father of nullification

Jefferson: prophet of nullification

Madison: abettor of nullification

Nullification North: Hartford Convention

Nullification South: John C. Calhoun

Academic nullifiers

4 Seceders.

Civil War

5 Insurrectionists.

From Daniel Shays to Timothy McVeigh

Acdemic insurrectionists

6 Vigilantes.

Groups: from regulators to clinic bombings

Individuals: frontier

Individuals: NRA

7 Withdrawers.

Individuals: from Thoreau to Mencken

Groups: from Brook Farm to hippie communes

8 Disobeyers.

From Dr King to SDS

9 A necessary good.

The uses of government

The uses of fear

  • Format
  • paperback
  • Pages
  • 368
  • Language
  • english
  • ISBN
  • 9780684870267
  • Genres
  • history, politics, government
  • Release date
  • 2002