American Politics in the Early Republic: The New Nation in Crisis Review

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American Politics in the Early Republic: The New Nation in Crisis ReviewSharp offers several themes and interpretations in his analysis of politics in the decade following the adoption of the constitution. Sharp rightly argues that the antagonisms and political schisms of the years 1789-1801 were a crucial test of the ability of our new nation to survive sharply different conceptions of where political sovereignty would ultimately lie in the new nation. Sharp details the creation of "proto-parties" -- the Federalist led by Hamilton who favored a strong central government and executive power versus the Jefferson led Republicans who favored more state and local control of politics and a stricter construction of the federal government's powers under the constitution. The schism was also clearly and primarily sectional -- North versus South. While both of these comments are an oversimplification they were two of the obvious divisive issues splitting the two camps. Sharp maintains that the election of Jefferson in 1801 and the peaceful transfer of power from one faction to another -- the first such transfer of power in our nation's history (Adam's being generally seen as a proponent of the Federalists'position) -- was one of the two most crucial tests for the viability of the constitution (the other being the Civil War).
Sharp details the political machinations of both camps through Jefferson's election and clearly shows that civil war and disunion were indeed viable outcomes and the continuation of the union in limbo.
Overall this is a solid effort to dispel the myth that political parties, as we know them today, were not created or even perpetuated by the "proto-parties" that formed during this period, although they can be seen as precursors of modern political parties. He also dispels the myth that the perpetuation of the nation was inevitable. Instead that the United States survived this period intact was incredible.
My main quibble is that sometimes Sharp sometimes leaves out some key points. Nor do I think enough attention is paid to Adam's ability to straddle the two factions and steer a more neutral course -- for example advocating a strong national defense (building a navy), pursing peace with France, and thwarting Hamilton's attempt to maintain a standing army in peacetime. Had he been unsuccessful in doing so the story of our Republic may have been quite different.American Politics in the Early Republic: The New Nation in Crisis Overview

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