American Revolution of 1800
Subtitle: How Jefferson Rescued Democracy from Tyranny and Faction - And What This Means Today
Publisher: Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Incorporated
Published: 2018
Language: eng
Number of pages: 312
ISBN-13: 9781609949853
Subjects: Jefferson, thomas, 1743-1826; Presidents, united states, election, 19th century; Political science, united states; Revolutions; United states, politics and government, 1789-1815
Description: Provides the definitive window into key concepts that have formed the backdrop of our democracy: the nature of revolution, stewardship of power, liberty, and the ever-present danger of factions and tyranny. Most contemporary historians celebrate Jefferson's victory over Adams in 1800--which Jefferson firmly maintained was "as real a revolution...as that of 1776--as the beginning of the two-party system, but Sisson believes it is entirely the wrong lesson. Jefferson saw his election as a peaceful revolution by the American people overturning an elitist faction that was stamping out cherished constitutional rights and trying to transform our young democracy into an authoritarian state. If anything, our current two-party system is a repudiation of Jefferson's theory of revolution, and his earnest desire that the people as a whole, not any faction or clique, would triumph in government.