woman Lepore, the United States is so divided as never before in its history, you often hear for trump’s choice. Is that true?
Yes and no. How do you measure that? If you look at the votes in Congress, we see that the polarization of the parties was shortly before the outbreak of the American civil war in 1861, at the largest. Then there was a long period of Moderation, in which the parties approached. From 1968, the polarization increased again, and today she actually is at least as large as just before the civil war. But this is only one part of the answer.
And the other?
A large part of the population lived in America in slavery. These people had no political rights, but in some ways, you can nevertheless, as a political party to consider, because a single, cross-interest group: the desire for the abolition of slavery. This population lived in a kind of a state of war with the Rest of America. The division of the country until the end of slavery and later racial segregation is much larger, was seen as today. Who is talking of the company being divided, means only the white America.
What is needed to overcome historical tensions?
Economic and political reforms. The introduction of Anti-monopoly laws and an income tax led to the turn of the 20th century. Century, the Federal government received a larger role in the regulation of the economy. It populists were calling for these reforms, the poor peasants and workers, suffering from the excesses of the railroad barons, who took away the Land, and no taxes paid. The political System took on the receivables. This includes political reforms came the introduction of women’s voting rights and the direct election of the Senate, for instance, which made the country more democratic. This helped to defuse tensions.
you to write to the Radio a unifying role. One thinks of the influence of inflammatory Radio Talker, it is surprising.
of Course, there have always been demagogues. But perhaps his greatest was the importance of the Radio in the Wake of the Great Depression in the 30s. The radio stations were required by law to balance. While the Radio was on at the same time in Germany, for propaganda instrument, wore it in America to a new spirit, a national debate, which brought the people together.
“When the elites speak, today, about simple people, often with condescension.”
Today, the media columns.
In the political and cultural elites of the Great Depression, is striking: at that time There was a feeling for the hardships of ordinary people. With the New Deal of democratic President Franklin D. Roosevelt, the government supported art projects that documented the life of the workers and peasants. As such, the documentary photography of Dorothea Lange, who held the fate of migrant workers in California, or the Interviews with witnesses for the Federal Radio Project. If the people tuned in the Radio, they heard contributions about the life and Suffering of normal Americans, presented by leading Intellectuals and artists of the time.
This sense is missing today?
It would be wrong to gloss over everything. The same elites ignored at the time, criminally racial segregation with its excesses, especially the Lynchings in the southern States. But elsewhere, they gave a real effort to improve the policy, the life of the normal citizen. The managed today’s Progressive least little more, with the exception of the health reform of Barack Obama. If the cultural elites Express today easy Americans, then often only with condescension.
The conquest of the West was in the history of the United States, a constant pressure valve, they write. A valve for what?
For example, in 1848: In Europe, the conflict between labor and capital led many to revolutions. The USA knew this class conflict, which was distributed here was also very uneven: There was abject poverty next to immense wealth. But as in Europe, the Revolution broke loose, took the United States half of Mexico. Who couldn’t stand the life in the factory on the East coast, received from the U.S. government a piece of Land in the southwest.
At the expense of the natives and the Mexicans.
Yes. I’m not legitimising the violent conquest of the West, of course, by divine Providence, as many historians of the 19th century. Century. But objectively, the US were able to social unrest cushion. This worked but only up to the Frontier, the settlement of the border, in 1890, was achieved. Since then, it no longer gives this valve.
As if there were a law of nature that says that all women should choose to have Hillary Clinton!
you are the first historian who has written a complete history of the United States in a Band, and you grant the women a lot of space.
Me wars is important not to tell a national history of the United States as a men-only event. In many political history books, women appear only if they claim the right to vote – which of course is wrong. Their influence was already great, you had the right to vote means to make their voices heard: above all, the Moral. The moral crusade is shaping the policy of the United States today, and most effective it was used mostly by women.
How can I see that?
shortly after the independence there was the expectation of the women that you adhere to your sons to be virtuous citizens of the young Republic educate. From this Position, the women a moral Superiority. They were not in political office to choose, you didn’t even have the right to vote – but they had moral capital, and were sent in there to play. It formed the basis for the movements for the abolition of slavery and the prohibition of the production and distribution of alcohol in the 19th century. Century, which were worn by women. Added to this was a circumstance that the beneficiary of the moral Argument: the widespread Evangelical Protestantism.
Where do you see today’s moral arguments at work?
The Christian conservative movement of the 20th century. Century was built by women in the suburbs: as a moral crusade. They began in the postwar years, the struggle against what they considered the sins of liberalism and individualism, particularly the sexual Revolution with the right to abortion, divorce and the demand for equal Rights for homosexuals. The women were the Foot soldiers in this battle.
morality as a political weapon is an invention of the woman?
I call it the feminine political style. You can also see the #MeToo-movement in this context: as a moral crusade. The women have more political, and legal equality between a man and a woman would not be implemented fully, what it is, then there would be no #MeToo movement, which uses a very moral language.
How to Trumps choice has changed the debate on the political role of women?
I found the Surprise indicative, with many commentators reacted to the fact that a large part of the women chose in the suburbs and in the country Trump. As if there were a law of nature that says that all women should choose to have Hillary Clinton! Since then, all deal with women in the Suburbs. This results in a certain blindness speaks. The male-dominated media bubble had dedicated to the steel workers in Pittsburgh, and the Miner in West Virginia. But what the housewife thinks in the suburbs, interested in just now.
you finish your book on 500 years of U.S. history with trump’s choice. That was hardly the original Plan.
(laughs) Originally, I wanted to stop Obama’s inauguration celebration. It would have been a great ending, no matter what one thinks of him. But while I worked on the book, was Trump elected, and it was clear: This is such a drastic Moment, I must treat.
How much this has changed the sound?
Not so much. The whole history of the United States didn’t become an other, just because Trump has been chosen, even if it feels for many. After 9/11 things started to fall apart. I rebuilt the last Chapter fundamentally. And for a judgment on Trumps first years, it is still too early. In addition, the history of America consists of much more than just the President.
(editing Tamedia)
Created: 04.02.2019, 13:17 PM
