Still Seeing Red: How The Cold War Shapes The New American Politics

by John Kenneth White

Overview

Through a text which is complemented by extensive polling data, this work explores how the Cold War moulded the internal politics of the United States. It takes readers through the Cold War period, describing its effect in redrawing the electoral map after World War II.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780367095932
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	06/13/2019
Series:	Transforming American Politics
Pages:	448
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x (d)

About the Author

John Kenneth White is professor of politics at the Catholic University of America and author of The Fractured Electorate and The New Politics of Old Values. He serves as cochair of the Committee for Party Renewal and as vice president of the Center for Party Development.

Table of Contents

* Introduction: Who Are We? Cold War Fears And Party Response * 19451946: Lost Innocence * 19471950: The New Politics of Old Fears * 1952: The Transforming Election The Cold War Party System * The Nationalist Republicans * The Divided Democrats Diminished Parties In Search Of A New Politics * High Anxiety: PostCold War Politics * The Collapse of the Old Order * The Shape of Things to Come

Editorial Reviews

The first reaction to this work might be, "Another book on the Cold War?" But White (politics, Catholic Univ. of America) adds new features to this well-known landscape. Building on his The Fractured Electorate (1980) and The New Politics of Old Values (Univ. Pr. of New England, 1990. 2d ed.), he makes his main point: that domestic politics since 1945 was shaped by America's enmity toward the USSR and its Communist system. What makes White's book a little better than most is that he artfully weaves into his story numerous polls conducted during the Cold War consistently revealing that most Americans applauded a tough approach to the Soviets and that both political parties competed strenuously for the title of tougher on the Commies. With the Cold War over, White points out that the United States has no obvious enemy, which has led, he believes, to increased domestic acrimony. This thoughtful critique of how foreign affairs can dictate domestic politics is recommended for academic and larger public libraries.Edward Goedeken, Iowa State Univ. Lib., Ames

Library Journal

The author describes the effect of the Cold War years in redrawing the electoral map after World War II. From 1952 to 1988 Republicans won the presidency seven times in ten tries because of two contradictory impulses embedded in the American character: a fanatical preoccupation with communism, and a robust liberalism. At the height of the Cold War, voters reduced contests for the presidency over which party would be rougher in dealing with the Evil Empire. But in the post-Cold War era, politics defies such simple characteristics and presidents find it harder to lead. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or.

Booknews

A thorough and thoughtful study, but not the one suggested by the title.

White (Politics/Catholic Univ.) provides an excellent political history of the Cold War era, with painstaking research supporting a well-written, intelligent presentation of rather familiar material. Certainly, no one will dispute his assessment of the Cold War's impact on domestic politics in the 1950s80s: Republicans were the primary beneficiaries because they were able to paint liberals as soft on communism, and Cold War concerns and rhetoric invaded the discussion of every political issue. But the focus suggested by the book's subtitle, on the impact of Cold War politics on the postCold War era, is largely absent. White's examination of this era follows from a foray into the most picked- over subject of political research, the evolution of contemporary political parties. His conclusions are sensible and, again, familiar: A party system with meaningful, programmatic parties has disappeared; presidential campaigns have come to focus on character rather than issues; presidential contests are now fought over the corpse of the Republican rather than the Democratic party; presidential and congressional elections have become increasingly separated in their focus and results. These observations constitute solid historical description, but as political analysis they fall prey to a common dilemma. While it is unavoidably the case—and consequently of limited interest—that an era will shape its successor, determining how it does so requires identifying causal relationships between the two eras. White's work is suggestive but ends at a good place to start. An explanation of how and why we are "still seeing red," rather than a summary of the ways that we are, would have been more welcome and original.

Talented author, mistargeted effort.

Kirkus Reviews