The Right Nation
Encyclopedia
The Right Nation is a book published in 2004 which charts the rise of the Republican Party
in the United States
since Barry Goldwater's defeat in 1964
. It was written by two British journalists, John Micklethwait
and Adrian Wooldridge
.
The book is composed of four parts:
And lastly,
Micklethwait and Wooldridge were the U.S. editor and Washington correspondent for The Economist
.
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
since Barry Goldwater's defeat in 1964
United States presidential election, 1964
The United States presidential election of 1964 was held on November 3, 1964. Incumbent President Lyndon B. Johnson had come to office less than a year earlier following the assassination of his predecessor, John F. Kennedy. Johnson, who had successfully associated himself with Kennedy's...
. It was written by two British journalists, John Micklethwait
John Micklethwait
John Micklethwait is the editor-in-chief of The Economist.-Biography:Micklethwait was born in 1962 and educated at the independent school Ampleforth College and Magdalen College, Oxford, where he studied history. He worked for Chase Manhattan Bank for two years and joined The Economist in 1987...
and Adrian Wooldridge
Adrian Wooldridge
Adrian Wooldridge is the Management Editor and 'Schumpeter' columnist for The Economist magazine. Until July 2009 he was The Economist's Washington Bureau Chief and 'Lexington' columnist....
.
The book is composed of four parts:
- History, which comprises a discussion of the government careers of the Bush familyBush familyThe Bush family is a prominent American family. Along with many members who have been successful bankers and businessmen, across three generations the family includes two U.S. Senators, one Supreme Court Justice, two Governors, one Vice President and two Presidents...
, a discussion of George W. BushGeorge W. BushGeorge Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
's psychology, and an outline of the fortunes of the GOP during the second half of the 20th century. - Anatomy, which discusses the way in which the Republican Party set about recovering from its near-catastrophic defeat in 1964, the role that think tankThink tankA think tank is an organization that conducts research and engages in advocacy in areas such as social policy, political strategy, economics, military, and technology issues. Most think tanks are non-profit organizations, which some countries such as the United States and Canada provide with tax...
s play in the development of policy and political philosophy, particularly the American Enterprise InstituteAmerican Enterprise InstituteThe American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research is a conservative think tank founded in 1943. Its stated mission is "to defend the principles and improve the institutions of American freedom and democratic capitalism—limited government, private enterprise, individual liberty and...
and the Heritage FoundationHeritage FoundationThe Heritage Foundation is a conservative American think tank based in Washington, D.C. Heritage's stated mission is to "formulate and promote conservative public policies based on the principles of free enterprise, limited government, individual freedom, traditional American values, and a strong...
, and the power of "footsoldiers" motivated by cultural values in winning elections. - Prophecy, which envisages two possible near-futures: why a Republican hegemonyHegemonyHegemony is an indirect form of imperial dominance in which the hegemon rules sub-ordinate states by the implied means of power rather than direct military force. In Ancient Greece , hegemony denoted the politico–military dominance of a city-state over other city-states...
is (they argue) approaching, and reasons why this future may not come to pass.
And lastly,
- Exception discusses the theory of American exceptionalismAmerican exceptionalismAmerican exceptionalism refers to the theory that the United States is qualitatively different from other countries. In this view, America's exceptionalism stems from its emergence from a revolution, becoming "the first new nation," and developing a uniquely American ideology, based on liberty,...
and what it portends for the fortunes of political philosophiesPolitical philosophyPolitical philosophy is the study of such topics as liberty, justice, property, rights, law, and the enforcement of a legal code by authority: what they are, why they are needed, what, if anything, makes a government legitimate, what rights and freedoms it should protect and why, what form it...
in the U.S.
Micklethwait and Wooldridge were the U.S. editor and Washington correspondent for The Economist
The Economist
The Economist is an English-language weekly news and international affairs publication owned by The Economist Newspaper Ltd. and edited in offices in the City of Westminster, London, England. Continuous publication began under founder James Wilson in September 1843...
.
External links
- Five part excerpt (1, 2, 3, 4, and 5) from The Right Nation, published in the National ReviewNational ReviewNational Review is a biweekly magazine founded by the late author William F. Buckley, Jr., in 1955 and based in New York City. It describes itself as "America's most widely read and influential magazine and web site for conservative news, commentary, and opinion."Although the print version of the...
- Book Forum on The Right Nation, held at the Cato InstituteCato InstituteThe Cato Institute is a libertarian think tank headquartered in Washington, D.C. It was founded in 1977 by Edward H. Crane, who remains president and CEO, and Charles Koch, chairman of the board and chief executive officer of the conglomerate Koch Industries, Inc., the largest privately held...
and including links to a RealVideo stream and a PowerPoint presentation