The first decades of the twentieth century in America were characterized by the final maturity of the great productive forces, monopolies and trusts, together with the consolidation of the federal state. The two factors, the growth of large corporations, and the beginning of a more mature national democracy lead in this first phase of the century, to one particular feature of the institutional, social and economic development of the United States. Herbert Croly, spiritual father of Progressive Party Program of Theodore Roosevelt, called the New Nationalism, in his important book The Promise of American Life (1909), argued that there had always been two basic trends in American political thought, Hamiltonian and Jeffersonian. The first was identified with the affirmation of a strong central government and special privileges in respect of a financial aristocratic minority. The second political trend was dominated by the minimum government, by liberal democracy and equal rights and opportunities. In Croly’s view, the new American industrial society of the twentieth century needed starting from a summary of the two trends. For the resolution of new problems of American society it was necessary to achieve Jeffersonian Ends through Hamiltonian Means.

JEFFERSONIAN ENDS THROUGH HAMILTONIAN MEANS. HERBERT CROLY, LIBERALISM AND DEMOCRACY

BOTTARO, Giuseppe
2010-01-01

Abstract

The first decades of the twentieth century in America were characterized by the final maturity of the great productive forces, monopolies and trusts, together with the consolidation of the federal state. The two factors, the growth of large corporations, and the beginning of a more mature national democracy lead in this first phase of the century, to one particular feature of the institutional, social and economic development of the United States. Herbert Croly, spiritual father of Progressive Party Program of Theodore Roosevelt, called the New Nationalism, in his important book The Promise of American Life (1909), argued that there had always been two basic trends in American political thought, Hamiltonian and Jeffersonian. The first was identified with the affirmation of a strong central government and special privileges in respect of a financial aristocratic minority. The second political trend was dominated by the minimum government, by liberal democracy and equal rights and opportunities. In Croly’s view, the new American industrial society of the twentieth century needed starting from a summary of the two trends. For the resolution of new problems of American society it was necessary to achieve Jeffersonian Ends through Hamiltonian Means.
2010
9788895285245
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11570/1900057
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