American Schism: How the Two Enlightenments Hold the Secret to Healing our Nation *eBook
Amazon Bestseller in Rationalist Philosophy, Comparative Politics, Political Parties, Rationalism Philosophy, Political Freedom, and Civics “Those seeking to heal our divided nation should read American Schism. In an age of unreason, Seth David Radwell deftly conveys the history of our core values and shows us a reasoned way forward.” ―Ana Navarro, CNN contributor “American Schism is a vigorously written, deeply informed intellectual tour de force and a bracing call to nonviolent arms!" ―David J. Garrow, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Bearing the Cross An enlightened exploration of history to unite a deeply divided America Two disparate Americas have always coexisted. In this thoroughly researched, engaging and ultimately hopeful story of our nation’s divergent roots, Seth David Radwell clearly links the fascinating history of the two American Enlightenments to our raging political division. He also demonstrates that reasoned analysis and historical perspective are the only antidote to irrational political discourse. “Did my vision of America ever exist at all, or was it but a myth?” Searching for a fresh and distinctive perspective on the recent corrosion of our civic life, Radwell’s very personal and yet broadly shared question propelled his search back to our nation’s founding for a fresh and distinctive perspective on the recent corrosion of our civic life - and led to a surprising discovery. Today’s battles reflect the fundamentally divergent visions of our country that emerged at our nation’s founding and have been vying for prominence ever since. The founding principles that shaped the United States may be rooted in the Enlightenment era. But the origin of our dual Americas is a product of two distinct Enlightenments - Radical and Moderate. American Schism begins with a quick reintroduction to the pre-Enlightenment Middle Ages and then takes readers on an in-depth journey through the revolutionary Enlightenment period including the eventual schism that began in Europe but then found its way to American shores. Radwell shows the impact of this schism on American history from the early expansion of the U.S. through Jim Crow and The Age of Trumpism. In an optimistic and rigorous final section, Radwell lays out an analysis of our current governmental structure and a plan to move forward, demonstrating that it is only by embracing Enlightenment principles that we can build a civilized, progressive, and tolerant society - where Americans can firmly ground their different views in rationality. Read more
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Why Must Read American Schism: How the Two Enlightenments Hold the Secret to Healing our Nation?
Few books are written for the general public that blend academic-level qualitative analysis of the past with sustainable solutions for the present while maintaining readability for those new to the content covered. Seth Radwell's book, which traces the origins, continued legacy, and recent dilution of the U.S. Enlightenment and classical Liberal thought, does just that. Influenced by Professor Jonathan Israel's work, Radwell argues that there were two contending schools of Enlightenment thought —the radicals (Spinoza in Europe and Jefferson and Paine in the U.S.) and moderates (Locke in Europe and Hamilton and Adams in the U.S.). The former group was more supportive of secularism, democracy, and egalitarianism, while the latter was friendlier to established ideas and institutions such as the Christian Church, the protection of property, and hierarchy. It was for this reason that there was such contestation during the first decades of the U.S. Radwell also argues that, while the word "Enlightenment" has left our vernacular, these two competing visions for America have continued to influence policy and society. In tracing this history, Radwell includes an allegory that is later revealed and expanded on in the final part of the book; that while the formulation of this nation was filled with contestation, both camps subscribed to reason and the quest for objective truth. It was through these thought processes that compromise was attained. To Radwell, this way of thinking has been lost and has culminated with counter-enlightenment ideas that have caused our nation to be divided. Radwell's book thus conveys two ideas that are important to the U.S.' future: one, it shows the continued importance of liberal thought to the U.S. even as we either forget, misinterpret, or neglect it; and secondly, that even though there will always be divergent views on how the U.S. should run, creative consensus can be attained through rationalism and adherence to finding objective truth. For anyone looking to gain a solid grasp of the ideological foundations of this nation and its continued impact, this book is a great place to start. The author has done a wonderful job bringing these ideas together and narrating their evolution while providing a comprehensive bibliography for further reading.
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