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A Necessary Evil: A History of American Distrust of Government
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A Necessary Evil: A History of American Distrust of Government Paperback - 2002

by Garry Wills

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In a provocative look at the essential role of government in American society, Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Garry Wills examines the roots of both mainstream and extremist distrust of government. Taking readers from the rancorous debates of the Founding Fathers through the Civil War to contemporary contretemps over gun control, abortion, and terrorist acts, he uses historical fact to destroy deeply embedded fictions.

Reader reviews for A Necessary Evil: A History of American Distrust of Government

From the publisher

In A Necessary Evil, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Garry Wills shows that distrust of government is embedded deep in the American psyche. From the revolt of the colonies against king and parliament to present-day tax revolts, militia movements, and debates about term limits, Wills shows that American antigovernment sentiment is based on a fundamental misunderstanding of our history. By debunking some of our fondest myths about the Founding Fathers, the Constitution, and the taming of the frontier, Wills shows us how our tendency to hold our elected government in disdain is misguided.

First line

One of the dramatic developments of the 1990s was the emergence of self-styled militias training for guerrilla war against the federal government.

Details

  • Title A Necessary Evil: A History of American Distrust of Government
  • Author Garry Wills
  • Binding Paperback
  • Edition [ Edition: Repri
  • Pages 368
  • Volumes 1
  • Language ENG
  • Publisher Simon & Schuster, New York
  • Publication date 2002-02-12
  • Features Index, Table of Contents
  • ISBN 9780684870267 / 0684870266
  • Weight 1.04 lbs (0.47 kg)
  • Dimensions 8.55 x 5.54 x 0.89 in (21.72 x 14.07 x 2.26 cm)
  • Themes
    • Chronological Period: 18th Century
  • Category History - U.S.
  • Library of Congress Catalogue Number 99035879
  • Dewey Decimal Code 973

About the author

Garry Wills is the author of 21 books, including the bestseller Lincoln at Gettysburg (winner of the 1992 Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Critics Circle Award), John Wayne's America, Certain Trumpets, Under God, and Necessary Evil. A frequent contributor to many national publications, including the New York Times Magazine and the New York Review of Books, he is also an adjunct professor of history at Northwestern University and lives in Evanston, Illinois.

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A Necessary Evil: A History of American Distrust of Government
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A Necessary Evil: A History of American Distrust of Government

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