The 1850s were ever-increasing gnarly political chaos, including 1860 up to the SC secession, when it becomes simply a civil war. The 1850s’ history has always reminded me too much of the breaking-apart feeling we have now.
I have to be honest, the analogies drawn in this piece are compelling but the CIVIL WAR feels a bit like the elephant in the room....
Abolitionists and radical Republicans would never have won their program (or the parts of it that they did - notably abolition, if not full reconstruction) without military defeat of the South - slave power was too entrenched, economically and politically.
If today is like the 1850s and 1860s (and it does feel more similar all the time), surely there are lessons and warnings there beyond just intra-party electoral strategy.
This is an excellent article on successful election strategy that could really help Democrats today. I write about it some in my book “Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory: Religion and the Politics of Race in the Civil War Era and Beyond”, published by Potomac Books of the University of Nebraska Press in 2022.
Historian Charles Dew wrote this about the book: “Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory is a book for our time. Steven L. Dundas has skillfully woven slavery, race, racism, politics, and religion into a single entity in telling this country’s complex story. Every American would profit from reading what he is telling us.”—Charles B. Dew, author of Apostles of Disunion: Southern Secession Commissioners and the Causes of the Civil War
Here is the link to the publisher for more information:
By the way I have always found your articles very insightful. This is my first time commenting. Have a good day, be safe and we used to say in Iraq, “Watch your six”
Thank you for taking the time to compose this thoughtful commentary.
Slavery is the most extreme variation of ethnic supremacy, both being fanaticism that takes no account of the oppressed. Being a moderate on slavery is the equivalent of being PEP, progressive except for Palestine.
Another example of fanaticism is Trump's attempt to make America white again that is evident in his dismissing people of color to be replaced by whites. The severity of ICE in dealing with illegal immigrants, even dragging in those who are not illegal, is another example along with the carelessness for the welfare of those thrown into prison. Punishment is a very big part of Trumpism.
The midterm elections must turn Congress around so that Trumpism will not dominate all three branches of our government. Netanyahu doesn't realize that his wild ride is turning America against Zionism due to the obvious Israeli evaluation of Palestinian lives at zero. There will be no recovery for Israel from what Netanyahu believes is a victory of Zionis.
Zorhan Mamdani is only the tip of the iceberg of repudiation of Zionism by the 99% even as the 1% could not be more Zionist, cemented by wealth. We must make democracy work using people power evident in the turnaround of many Democrats in Congress regarding Israel. America is at rock bottom right now. The US cannot sink lower than fully supporting genocide.
The 1850s were ever-increasing gnarly political chaos, including 1860 up to the SC secession, when it becomes simply a civil war. The 1850s’ history has always reminded me too much of the breaking-apart feeling we have now.
I have to be honest, the analogies drawn in this piece are compelling but the CIVIL WAR feels a bit like the elephant in the room....
Abolitionists and radical Republicans would never have won their program (or the parts of it that they did - notably abolition, if not full reconstruction) without military defeat of the South - slave power was too entrenched, economically and politically.
If today is like the 1850s and 1860s (and it does feel more similar all the time), surely there are lessons and warnings there beyond just intra-party electoral strategy.
Waleed,
This is an excellent article on successful election strategy that could really help Democrats today. I write about it some in my book “Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory: Religion and the Politics of Race in the Civil War Era and Beyond”, published by Potomac Books of the University of Nebraska Press in 2022.
Historian Charles Dew wrote this about the book: “Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory is a book for our time. Steven L. Dundas has skillfully woven slavery, race, racism, politics, and religion into a single entity in telling this country’s complex story. Every American would profit from reading what he is telling us.”—Charles B. Dew, author of Apostles of Disunion: Southern Secession Commissioners and the Causes of the Civil War
Here is the link to the publisher for more information:
https://www.nebraskapress.unl.edu/potomac-books/9781640124882/mine-eyes-have-seen-the-glory/
By the way I have always found your articles very insightful. This is my first time commenting. Have a good day, be safe and we used to say in Iraq, “Watch your six”
Sincerely,
Steve Dundas
Thank you for taking the time to compose this thoughtful commentary.
Slavery is the most extreme variation of ethnic supremacy, both being fanaticism that takes no account of the oppressed. Being a moderate on slavery is the equivalent of being PEP, progressive except for Palestine.
Another example of fanaticism is Trump's attempt to make America white again that is evident in his dismissing people of color to be replaced by whites. The severity of ICE in dealing with illegal immigrants, even dragging in those who are not illegal, is another example along with the carelessness for the welfare of those thrown into prison. Punishment is a very big part of Trumpism.
The midterm elections must turn Congress around so that Trumpism will not dominate all three branches of our government. Netanyahu doesn't realize that his wild ride is turning America against Zionism due to the obvious Israeli evaluation of Palestinian lives at zero. There will be no recovery for Israel from what Netanyahu believes is a victory of Zionis.
Zorhan Mamdani is only the tip of the iceberg of repudiation of Zionism by the 99% even as the 1% could not be more Zionist, cemented by wealth. We must make democracy work using people power evident in the turnaround of many Democrats in Congress regarding Israel. America is at rock bottom right now. The US cannot sink lower than fully supporting genocide.