Partisans: The Conservative Revolutionaries Who Remade American Politics in the 1990s

By Nicole Hemmer

Book Overview

A bold new history of modern conservatism that finds its origins in the populist right-wing politics of the 1990s

Ronald Reagan has long been lionized for building a conservative coalition sustained by an optimistic vision of American exceptionalism, small government, and free markets. But as historian Nicole Hemmer reveals, the Reagan coalition was short-lived; it fell apart as soon as its charismatic leader left office. In the 1990s -- a decade that has yet to be recognized as the breeding ground for today's polarizing politics -- changing demographics and the emergence of a new political-entertainment media fueled the rise of combative far-right politicians and pundits. These partisans, from Pat Buchanan and Newt Gingrich to Rush Limbaugh and Laura Ingraham, forged a new American right that emphasized anti-globalism, appeals to white resentment, and skepticism about democracy itself.

Partisans is essential reading for anyone seeking to understand the crisis of American politics today.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1541646886
• ISBN13: 9781541646889
• Release Date: August 2022
• Publisher: Basic Books
• Length: 368 Pages
• Weight: 1.30 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.2" x 6.0" x 9.4"