“Should have read it 30 yrs ago, but I’ve finally gotten around to
reading Harvey Wasserman’s History of the United States, with
introduction by Howard Zinn. This is an easier read than Zinn’s
history … I’m reading about the national
strikes and mass uprisings 100 yrs ago.
“Back then people knew exactly who they should be fighting against: the corporate elite. And fight they did. Today we sit at our corporate-produced computers sending emails to each other.”
– Jan Tuckley, founder and moderator of the 540-member ProgressiveTalk list. Most members don’t post (probably good!), but those who do teach me so much.
Below, the post to which Jan was replying, and more about Wasserman’s book — “Its legendary opening line: “The Civil War made a few businessmen very rich”:
Jan was replying to this post:
enterprise. It is not concerned with national survival, but with the
survival of the elite, despite all the rhetoric.
Apparently, all wars
of aggression are fostered by elitism, which brings the history of
this country into question. The citizens have been educated to
believe that the US stood for freedom and fairness.
Now it appears
that elitism and its covert policies dominated this nation from its
inception, but was well hidden by the educational system, the media,
and from everyday consciousness.
In other words, the citizens were
brainwashed into believing a falsehood. Even more deeply, it created
a false self-image of the individual and a deluded society.
It raises
these questions: What is required to foster an awakened society? Is
elitism a normative behavior to be accepted by an awakened society?
Can elitism survive in an awakened society?
I didn’t include the author’s name because I haven’t received permission yet to do so.
From Freepress.org:
“A beautiful example of people’s history” — Howard Zinn
Harvey Wasserman rampages through America’s tumultuous transformation from a nation of farmers to an imperial power.
Uniquely compelling, this blunt, bottom-up barnstormer reads like an adventure story right from its legendary opening line: “The Civil War made a few businessmen very rich.” As a cult classic it’s long been a mainstay for students and teachers in search of an alternative point of view—and a solid, exciting historic read.
From the rapacious Robber Barons to the saintly socialist Eugene V. Debs, from angry populist farmers to pot-smoking Bohemian free lovers, your view of US history will never be the same.
Wasserman’s bio.
I note he has a couple more books of interest:
- George W. Bush vs The SuperPower of Peace: How a failed Texas oilman hijacked American democracy and terrorized the world.
- A Glimpse of the Big Light – Losing Parents, Finding Spirit
