The politicians & the egalitarians : the hidden history of American politics

Sean Wilentz presents two key insights that reveal a much-needed vision of American political history.

Firstly, partisanship has almost always been a feature of American history and has made possible its greatest social reforms.

Secondly, the recent attention to economic inequality has a long history.

From the founders' generation to the present, America's egalitarian tradition has appeared and reappeared like an underground river.