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The Patriots' Dilemma

White Abolitionism and Black Banishment in the Founding of the United States of America
Brief Description
'A masterly analysis of slavery and republicanism from the left. A stunning achievement' - Gerald Horne Timely and controversial, The Patriots' Dilemma confronts longstanding interpretations of U.S. history that emphasize a fundamental conflict between pro-slavery and anti-slavery interests. By 1776, influential American patriots acknowledged that slavery... Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
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A provocative interpretation of early US history arguing that abolitionism among the founders was motivated by white racism

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

'A masterly analysis of slavery and republicanism from the left. A stunning achievement' - Gerald Horne

Timely and controversial, The Patriots' Dilemma confronts longstanding interpretations of U.S. history that emphasize a fundamental conflict between pro-slavery and anti-slavery interests. By 1776, influential American patriots acknowledged that slavery was incompatible with the ideals of the republic. But a republic for whom?

As Timothy Messer-Kruse argues, their real motivations have been misinterpreted for more than 200 years. The Framers were primarily concerned with the protection and betterment of the white community, not the liberation of enslaved black people. The conundrum was that slavery had to end because it created what they saw as a dangerous population, but it could not be abolished without endangering their (white) republic.

Their solutions included schemes to banish former slaves to the western frontier or overseas, to exclude them from the category of 'citizen', to make their emancipation gradual, and to tightly police African American communities.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780745349671

Publisher: Pluto Press

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 20 April 2024

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Pluto Press

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 27.0mm

Width: 156.0mm

Height: 234.0mm

Weight: 250g

Pages: 384

About the Author

Timothy Messer-Kruse is professor of ethnic studies at Bowling Green State University in Ohio. He is the author of numerous books, including The Yankee International: Marxism and the American Reform Tradition, 1848-1876, The Haymarket Conspiracy: Transatlantic Anarchist Networks and The Trial of the Haymarket Anarchists: Terrorism and Justice in the Gilded Age, which was named 'Best Labor History Book of 2012' by the journal Labor History.

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