Sentimental Democracy: The Evolution of America's Romantic Self-Image

Burstein, Andrew

ISBN 10: 0809085364 / ISBN 13: 9780809085361

Published by Hill and Wang, 2000

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Bibliographic Details

• Title: Sentimental Democracy: The Evolution of America's Romantic Self-Image
• Publisher: Hill and Wang
• Publication Date: 2000
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0809085364
• ISBN 13: 9780809085361
• Binding: Soft cover
• Condition: New

About this title

Synopsis

The provocative interpretation of American political rhetoric

Americans like to use words of sentiment and sympathy, passion and power, to explain their democracy. In a provocative new work, Andrew Burstein examines the metaphorically rich language which Americans developed to express their guiding principle: that the New World would improve upon the Old. In journals, letters, speeches, and books, an impassioned rhetoric of "feeling" set the tone for American patriotism.

Burstein shows how the eighteenth century "culture of sensibility" encouraged optimism about a global society: the new nation would succeed. Americans believed, as much by sublime feeling as by intellectual achievement or political liberty. As they grew more self-confident, this pacific ideal acquired teeth: noble Washington and humane Jefferson yielded to boisterous Jackson, and the language of gentle feeling to the force of Manifest Destiny. Yet Americans never stopped celebrating what they believed was their innate impulse to do good.

About the Author

Andrew Burstein recently retired as the Charles P. Manship Professor of History at Louisiana State University. He is the author of The Passions of Andrew Jackson, Jefferson's Secrets, and several other books on early American politics and culture. He is the coauthor (with Nancy Isenberg) of Madison and Jefferson and The Problem of Democracy. Burstein’s writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and Salon.com He advised Ken Burns’ production “Thomas Jefferson,” and was featured on C-SPAN’s American Presidents Series and Booknotes, and numerous NPR programs. He lives in Charlottesville, Virginia.