Реферат: The Radicalism of the American Revolution

As a result, the America that was established as an outcome of the revolution not the republic that its leaders projected and therein lays its radicalism. Thus, there is an inexpressible sadness in the final paragraph of the book where Professor Wood writes, “A new generation of democratic Americans was no longer interested in the revolutionaries' dream of building a classical republic of elitist virtue out of the inherited materials of the Old World. America, they said, would find its greatness not by emulating the states of classical antiquity, not by copying the fiscal-military powers of modern Europe, and not by producing a few notable geniuses of a man. Instead, it would discover its greatness by creating a prosperous free society belonging to obscure people with their workaday concerns and their pecuniary pursuits of happiness--common people with their common interests in making money and getting ahead” (p. 269).

And further Wood finishes “The Radicalism of the American Revolution” with this statement “No doubt the cost that America paid for this democracy was high with its vulgarity, its materialism, its rootlessness, its anti-intellectualism. But, there is no denying the wonder of it and the real earthly benefits it brought to the hitherto neglected and despised masses of common labouring people. The American Revolution created this democracy, and we are living with its consequences still” (p. 269).

Especially, Wood comments that ideas and ideological issues matter in the context of American history. Self-interest is very real and really very essential, though ideas and ideals are powerful motivations for actions and undertakings. We may affirm that this book is a strikingly important that must be read by all who tries and wishes to understand the origins of the United States.

In conclusion, we may say one more time that “The Radicalism of the American Revolution” is a well-designed combination of historical, political, cultural, ideological and economic analysis done by the prominent scholar that is always in touch with the older, classic questions that we have been arguing about for long. In fact, it is a magnificent account of such a serious event within American history as revolution that gave birth to the American republic.

The American Revolution not only had officially formed the United States of America, moreover, had shaped and formed all the great hopes and values of the American people. American commitments to freedoms, constitutionalism, the welfare, happiness, equality and safety of ordinary people, all American noblest ideals and aspirations were the result of the Revolutionary era. We also know from the book the fact that Lincoln understood that the Revolution had persuaded American people in their speciality, convinced that they are the people with a unique destiny, and that just the American people is a nation that is to lead the world towards democracy and liberty. As a result Revolutionary events produced a sense of nationhood and strong unity Americans have now.

It is important to say that the history of the American Revolution, as well as the history of the nation as a whole, should not to be regarded merely as a story of rights and wrongs that reach us moral lessons and shows negative consequences. The work of Professor Wooвis a complex and sometimes even ironic chronicle that is supposed to be clarified and understood. it is relevant to pay attention to such questions such how this great revolution came about; what its character was; what its consequences were and many others. The work’s success in writing such a profound and absorbing research we attribute to Gordon Wood’s mastery of his subject.

Of course, we should not neglect the fact that the American Revolution really substantially changed the atmosphere in which slavery had existed and flourished. For hundreds of years, slavery had existed in the Western world without significant criticism. The Revolution outlined a key turning point. It unexpectedly put slavery on the defensive. And probably that is the point that is to be highlighted and emphasized.The thing about the American Revolution is that it has created the ideology that holds us together until now. To author’s point of view without that revolution, we would be a nation without any kind of adhesive. Due to the Revolution, we have an intellectual and ideological adhesive that makes us a unit of people.

Speaking about potential audience of the book the author himself says that it was designed for an educated reader who wants to know something more about the American Revolution and has only maybe a indistinct remembrance of the main events and wants to know some more particulars of the event. Although, it does not convey any great knowledge. As Professor Wood says this book is not written for experts in American history, just for a general reader as we say.

Te first item is that Revolution is one of the most important events in American history, since it not only legally shaped the United States of America, but also infused into our culture and our consciousness almost everything we believe in, and that holds us together. These things are our belief in liberty, equality, constitutionalism, the welfare of ordinary people. All of this the author considers comes out of the Revolution. Therefore, this is the event that makes us Americans. Consequently, in order to be an American you have to know something about the history of this country and about the Revolution in particular.

References:

1. Gordon S. Wood.The Radicalism of the American Revolution. Vintage: March, 1993. 464 pages.