Description
Book SynopsisEver since Alexis de Tocqueville published his observations in Democracy in America, Americans have recognized the distinctiveness of their voluntary tradition. In a work of political, legal, social, and intellectual history, Neem traces the origins of this venerable tradition to the vexed beginnings of American democracy in Massachusetts.
Trade ReviewA powerful analysis that will reshape our understanding of the transformation of civil society in the early American republic. Neem's study is part of an emerging literature forcing a reconsideration of the classic Tocquevillean account of voluntary association and the state. I am impressed with the depth of the research, the sharpness and acuity of the interpretation, and the clarity of the writing. This is an important book. -- John L. Brooke, Ohio State University
Beautifully conceived and clearly written,
Creating a Nation of Joiners is a major contribution to our understanding of the early Republic. Not only does it nicely show how bitterly contested was the struggle over the creation of a civil society, but it contains the best account of the changing nature of the corporation since Oscar and Mary Handlin's
Commonwealth. A superb study. -- Gordon S. Wood, Brown University
In his illuminating examination of the origins of American civil society, Johann Neem traces them to popular religion and Whig philanthropy, revealing the longstanding conflicts between civil society and the ideals of Jeffersonian democracy. This book will interest both historians and political scientists. -- Daniel Walker Howe, author of
What Hath God Wrought: The Transformation of America, 1815–1848This work will broaden understanding of the Jefferson/Jackson period and the rise of democracy. Neem has done a superb job in crafting a short, readable, informative work. -- J. J. Fox Jr. * Choice *
Table of Contents* Introduction * The Revolutionary Commonwealth * Fragmentation and Contestation * The Political Transformation of Civil Society * Forging a Grassroots Public Sphere * The Elite Public Sphere * Democrats Strike Back * Conclusion * Notes * Acknowledgments * Index
