Finding the Lost Tradition of Economic Equality in America
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Presented by
American Antiquarian Society
“Finding the Lost Tradition of Economic Equality in America”
by Daniel Mandell
Approx. 60 minutes
This online event is free, but registration is required. You will be sent an email with a link and instructions on how to join the event upon registration.
Although Americans today are concerned about the ever-increasing levels of wealth and income inequality, many continue to believe that their country was founded on a person’s right to acquire and control property. But in his latest book, The Lost Tradition of Economic Equality in America, 1600–1880, Mandell argues that the United States was originally deeply influenced by the belief that maintaining a “rough” equality of wealth was essential for a successful republican government. That belief continued to influence American culture and politics even as wage labor became increasingly common and the chasm widened between rich and poor. Mandell held an AAS-NEH research fellowship in 2012–13, which was foundational to this book. In his talk, he will sketch out his main arguments and highlight AAS holdings that are particularly significant to them.