Book Recommendation: Sam Tanenhaus, The Death of Conservatism
David Shasha
Friends,
In the wake of the recent US Mid-term elections many of us remain somewhat shell-shocked from all the extreme political views that have been thrown at us. It is becoming more and more difficult to find the ever-elusive political center in all the chaos and tumult. Many SHU readers have let me know about the difficulties they face when dealing with Tea Party and FOX News advocates who present a hard-line position that brooks little or no discussion.
Back in February 2009 the writer Sam Tanenhaus, currently the editor of The New York Times Sunday Book Review, published an excellent piece in The New Republic called “Conservatism is Dead” that argued against the new Right Wing radicalism. Tanenhaus was certain that this new form of political theater – which continues with the circus-like pronouncements of Sarah Palin and her cohorts – would destroy his beloved Conservative tradition. The article was a bracing review of 20th century American political history that presented the great genius of our political system as a means of achieving consensus among the various conflicting viewpoints.
As those of us living inside the Jewish community have learned all too well, today we have a politics of exclusion and rejection. There is only one right way of seeing things and deviations are not tolerated. It is a tragic consequence of an orthodox value system that has often turned sinister and paranoid – but it has become the norm for many Jews.
This radical, orthodox thinking has been carefully analyzed by Tanenhaus in his short book The Death of Conservatism that was first published by Random House shortly after The New Republic series was printed. The book expands on the articles to create an impressive history of American culture and politics over the past century. It is well-argued and concise. While hitting all the major events in American political history, it presents a thoughtful interpretation of American identity and the ways in which that identity has been disfigured by what he calls “Revanchism.” This revanchist politics permeates the 24-hour Cable news channels and has reared its ugly head in the election results last week.
The Death of Conservatism is an excellent antidote to the madness of the current political scene. It is recommended for those who are trying to better understand and deal with the extremists who are trying to undermine our civic life. It presents a lucid and rational history of American political culture that is brief but thorough.
For more information on this important book, just out in a new paperback edition with a new epilogue discussing the Tea Party, see:
http://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780812981032
David Shasha