
Title

Free Soil, Free Labor, Free Men: The Ideology of the Republican Party before the Civil War,Used
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Since its publication twentyfive years ago, Free Soil, Free Labor, Free Men has been recognized as a classic, an indispensable contribution to our understanding of the causes of the American Civil War. A key work in establishing political ideology as a major concern of modern American historians, it remains the only fullscale evaluation of the ideas of the early Republican party. Now with a new introduction, Eric Foner puts his argument into the context of contemporary scholarship, reassessing the concept of free labor in the light of the last twentyfive years of writing on such issues as work, gender, economic change, and political thought.A significant reevaluation of the causes of the Civil War, Foner's study looks beyond the North's opposition to slavery and its emphasis upon preserving the Union to determine the broader grounds of its willingness to undertake a war against the South in 1861. Its search is for those social concepts the North accepted as vital to its way of life, finding these concepts most clearly expressed in the ideology of the growing Republican party in the decade before the war's start. Through a careful analysis of the attitudes of leading factions in the party's formation (northern Whigs, former Democrats, and political abolitionists) Foner is able to show what each contributed to Republican ideology. He also shows how northern ideas of human rightsin particular a man's right to work where and how he wanted, and to accumulate property in his own nameand the goals of American society were implicit in that ideology. This was the ideology that permeated the North in the period directly before the Civil War, led to the election of Abraham Lincoln, and led, almost immediately, to the Civil War itself. At the heart of the controversy over the extension of slavery, he argues, is the issue of whether the northern or southern form of society would take root in the West, whose development would determine the nation's destiny.In his new introductory essay, Foner presents a greatly altered view of the subject. Only entrepreneurs and farmers were actually 'free men' in the sense used in the ideology of the period. Actually, by the time the Civil War was initiated, half the workers in the North were wageearners, not independent workers. And this did not account for women and blacks, who had little freedom in choosing what work they did. He goes onto show that even after the Civil War these guarantees for 'free soil, free labor, free men' did not really apply for most Americans, and especially not for blacks.Demonstrating the profoundly successful fusion of value and interest within Republican ideology prior to the Civil War, Free Soil, Free Labor, Free Men remains a classic of modern American historical writing. Eloquent and influential, it shows how this ideology provided the moral consensus which allowed the North, for the first time in history, to mobilize an entire society in modern warfare.
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We provide a 2-year limited warranty, from the date of purchase for all our products.
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This warranty strictly does not cover damages that arose from negligence, misuse, wear and tear, or not in accordance with product instructions (dropping the product, etc.).
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Frequently Asked Questions
- Q: What is the main theme of 'Free Soil, Free Labor, Free Men'? A: The main theme of the book is the ideological foundations of the early Republican Party and its role in shaping the political landscape leading up to the American Civil War, particularly focusing on concepts of free labor and human rights.
- Q: Who is the author of this book and what is his background? A: The author is Eric Foner, a noted American historian specializing in the Civil War and Reconstruction periods, who has received multiple awards for his contributions to historical scholarship.
- Q: What type of binding is used for this edition? A: This edition is a paperback binding, making it lightweight and suitable for easy handling and reading.
- Q: How many pages does 'Free Soil, Free Labor, Free Men' have? A: The book contains a total of 400 pages, providing an in-depth exploration of its subject matter.
- Q: When was 'Free Soil, Free Labor, Free Men' first published? A: The book was first published on April 20, 1995, and has been recognized as a classic in American historical literature.
- Q: What is the significance of the new introduction by Eric Foner? A: The new introduction offers a contemporary context to Foner's original arguments, reflecting on recent scholarship related to labor, gender, and economic change.
- Q: Is this book suitable for academic study? A: Yes, 'Free Soil, Free Labor, Free Men' is suitable for academic study as it provides a thorough analysis of political ideology and historical context relevant to American history.
- Q: What are the key concepts discussed in the book? A: Key concepts include the ideology of free labor, the moral implications of human rights, and the political dynamics leading to the Civil War, particularly concerning the Republican Party.
- Q: Does the book address the perspectives of different social groups? A: Yes, it examines the perspectives of various factions including northern Whigs, former Democrats, and political abolitionists, as well as the experiences of workers, women, and African Americans.
- Q: What impact did this book have on historical scholarship? A: The book significantly influenced the understanding of the Republican Party's ideology and its connection to the Civil War, establishing political ideology as a major focus for historians.