lpetrich
Contributor
Arthur Schlesinger, Jr. wrote a book, "The Cycles of American History" (1986, 1999), and in it, he has "The Cycles of American Politics". He agreed with his father that US history runs in liberal vs. conservative cycles. Cycles of concern for the wrongs of the many and the rights of the few, of expanding democracy and containing democracy, of public purpose and private interest. CYCLES OF AMERICAN HISTORY has a nice summary.
(Lib) Creation of the Constitution: 1776-1788, (Con) Hamiltonian Federalism: 1788-1800, (Lib) The Jefferson Era: 1800-1812, (Con) Retreat after the War of 1812: 1812-1829, (Lib) Jacksonian Democracy: 1829-1841, (Con) Domination of National Government by Slaveowners: 1841-1861, (Lib) Abolition of Slavery and Reconstruction: 1861-1869, (Con) The Gilded Age: 1869-1901, (Lib) Progressive Era: 1901-1919, (Con) Republican Restoration: 1919-1931, (Lib) The New Deal: 1931-1947, (Con) The Eisenhower Era: 1947-1962, (Lib) The Sixties Era: 1962-1978, (Con) Gilded Age II: 1978-
AS Jr. then discusses a conflict between democratic values, "equality, freedom, social responsibility, and the general welfare", vs. capitalist values, "the sanctity of private property, the maximization of profit, the cult of the free market, the survival of the fittest", though he notes that democracy and capitalism were allies against feudalism, that they share "a faith in individual freedom, popular sovereignty, limited government, and equality before the law", and that supporters of neither side wants to destroy the other.
Liberal phases end from activist burnout, while conservative phases end from unsolved problems.
ASJr notices a big difference in the amount of corruption in liberal and conservative phases. "This priority of wealth over commonwealth naturally nourishes a propensity to corruption in government. When public purpose dominates, government tends to be idealistic. Idealists have many faults, but they rarely steal."
Looking at liberal phases and administrations, FDR's New Deal had a remarkable lack of corruption, despite its increased peacetime government spending and government regulation. Likewise, LBJ's Great Society had much less graft than in the 1920's, 1950's, or 1980's. Even in Gilded Age II, the administrations of Bill Clinton and Barack Obama had remarkably few scandals other than what the right wing manufactured. I say "manufactured" because doing so often went against the right wing's values. The right wing made a big fuss about Bill Clinton's firing the White House travel agents, thus being anti-employer and pro-wasteful-government-spending when it was convenient for them. About Barack Obama's presidency, all that the right wing could pin on it was the Benghazi attacks. "No Drama Obama" he was.
Looking at conservative phases and administrations, Warren Harding's administration had big scandals, like Teapot Dome. Dwight Eisenhower's had scandals that forced the resignation of his Secretary of the Air Force, his chairman of the Interstate Commerce Commission, his General Services Administrator, his Public Buildings Administrator, the chairman of the Republican National Committee, and even the Assistant to the President himself. Richard Nixon's had the Watergate scandal with over 40 members of that administration prosecuted, and with his Vice President, two Cabinet members, a dozen White House staffers, and fifteen others either pleaded guilty or were convicted in trials.
Ronald Reagan's administration had oodles of scandals, like the Iran-Contra scandal and the Savings&Loan scandal and lots of bribe-taking. Though George Bush I's did not have many scandals, George Bush II's did. The Valerie Plame affair, the Jack Abramoff lobbying scandal, the dismissal of 11 Federal prosecutors for investigating Republicans and not Democrats, the disappearance of a million e-mails associated with that scandal, neglect in the Walker Reed Army Medical Center, etc.
So the Trump Administration's corruption is in character with what other conservative adninistrations have done.
(Lib) Creation of the Constitution: 1776-1788, (Con) Hamiltonian Federalism: 1788-1800, (Lib) The Jefferson Era: 1800-1812, (Con) Retreat after the War of 1812: 1812-1829, (Lib) Jacksonian Democracy: 1829-1841, (Con) Domination of National Government by Slaveowners: 1841-1861, (Lib) Abolition of Slavery and Reconstruction: 1861-1869, (Con) The Gilded Age: 1869-1901, (Lib) Progressive Era: 1901-1919, (Con) Republican Restoration: 1919-1931, (Lib) The New Deal: 1931-1947, (Con) The Eisenhower Era: 1947-1962, (Lib) The Sixties Era: 1962-1978, (Con) Gilded Age II: 1978-
AS Jr. then discusses a conflict between democratic values, "equality, freedom, social responsibility, and the general welfare", vs. capitalist values, "the sanctity of private property, the maximization of profit, the cult of the free market, the survival of the fittest", though he notes that democracy and capitalism were allies against feudalism, that they share "a faith in individual freedom, popular sovereignty, limited government, and equality before the law", and that supporters of neither side wants to destroy the other.
Liberal phases end from activist burnout, while conservative phases end from unsolved problems.
ASJr notices a big difference in the amount of corruption in liberal and conservative phases. "This priority of wealth over commonwealth naturally nourishes a propensity to corruption in government. When public purpose dominates, government tends to be idealistic. Idealists have many faults, but they rarely steal."
Looking at liberal phases and administrations, FDR's New Deal had a remarkable lack of corruption, despite its increased peacetime government spending and government regulation. Likewise, LBJ's Great Society had much less graft than in the 1920's, 1950's, or 1980's. Even in Gilded Age II, the administrations of Bill Clinton and Barack Obama had remarkably few scandals other than what the right wing manufactured. I say "manufactured" because doing so often went against the right wing's values. The right wing made a big fuss about Bill Clinton's firing the White House travel agents, thus being anti-employer and pro-wasteful-government-spending when it was convenient for them. About Barack Obama's presidency, all that the right wing could pin on it was the Benghazi attacks. "No Drama Obama" he was.
Looking at conservative phases and administrations, Warren Harding's administration had big scandals, like Teapot Dome. Dwight Eisenhower's had scandals that forced the resignation of his Secretary of the Air Force, his chairman of the Interstate Commerce Commission, his General Services Administrator, his Public Buildings Administrator, the chairman of the Republican National Committee, and even the Assistant to the President himself. Richard Nixon's had the Watergate scandal with over 40 members of that administration prosecuted, and with his Vice President, two Cabinet members, a dozen White House staffers, and fifteen others either pleaded guilty or were convicted in trials.
Ronald Reagan's administration had oodles of scandals, like the Iran-Contra scandal and the Savings&Loan scandal and lots of bribe-taking. Though George Bush I's did not have many scandals, George Bush II's did. The Valerie Plame affair, the Jack Abramoff lobbying scandal, the dismissal of 11 Federal prosecutors for investigating Republicans and not Democrats, the disappearance of a million e-mails associated with that scandal, neglect in the Walker Reed Army Medical Center, etc.
So the Trump Administration's corruption is in character with what other conservative adninistrations have done.
