A Foreign Affairs Best Book of the Year
โThis absolutely splendid book is a triumph on every level. A first-rate history of the United States, it is beautifully written, deeply researched, and filled with entertaining stories. For anyone who wants to see our democracy flourish, this is the book to read.โ
โDoris Kearns Goodwin
To all who say our democracy is brokenโriven by partisanship, undermined by extremism, corrupted by wealthโhistory offers hope. Democracyโs nineteen cases, honed in David Mossโs popular course at Harvard and taught at the Library of Congress, in state capitols, and at hundreds of high schools across the country, take us from Alexander Hamiltonโs debates in the run up to the Constitutional Convention to Citizens United. Each one presents a pivotal moment in U.S. history and raises questions facing key decision makers at the time: Should the delegates support Madisonโs proposal for a congressional veto over state laws? Should Lincoln resupply Fort Sumter? Should Florida lawmakers approve or reject the Equal Rights Amendment? Should corporations have a right to free speech? Moss invites us to engage in the passionate debates that are crucial to a healthy society.
โEngagingly written, well researched, rich in content and context...Moss believes that fierce political conflicts can be constructive if they are mediated by shared ideals.โ
โGlenn C. Altschuler, Huffington Post
โGives us the facts of key controversies in our historyโfrom the adoption of the constitution to Citizens Unitedโand invites readers to decide for themselves...A valuable resource for civic education.โ
โMichael Sandel, author of Justice
A Foreign Affairs Best Book of the Year
โThis absolutely splendid book is a triumph on every level. A first-rate history of the United States, it is beautifully written, deeply researched, and filled with entertaining stories. For anyone who wants to see our democracy flourish, this is the book ...