Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

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.