Progressivism

More about the book

Bradley C. S. Watson has dedicated much of his career to exploring American progressivism's evolution in the twentieth century, culminating in this comprehensive synthesis of the idea's history. He presents an intellectual history of American progressivism as a philosophical-political phenomenon, examining how the academic discipline of history embraced and disseminated it. This work offers a detailed historiography and critique of the biases within academic culture, illustrating how early scholarly interpreters of progressivism were often its intellectual architects, with later scholars sharing their premises and conclusions. Many academic treatments of the progressive synthesis emerged from it, neglecting two crucial aspects: the progressive theory's hostility toward the Founders' Constitution and its tension with the private realm, including conscience. The constitutional and religious dimensions of progressive thought, particularly their interrelationship, remained largely obscured throughout much of the twentieth century. This groundbreaking volume uncovers the reasons behind this scholarly obfuscation. It will engage students and scholars of American political thought, the Progressive Era, and historiography, serving as a valuable reference for those in history, law, and political science.