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Title: The Real Lincoln: A New Look at Abraham Lincoln, His Agenda, and an Unnecessary War by Thomas J. Dilorenzo ISBN: 0-7615-2646-3 Publisher: Three Rivers Press (CA) Pub. Date: 02 December, 2003 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $14.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 3.28 (223 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: Demolish the Lincoln Memorial!
Comment: Thomas Dilorenzo is an economist, not a historian. Maybe this is why this book is so great: it brings reason, academic honesty, and understanding of decision-making into a field that is mostly devoid of all those things. Dr. Dilorenzo's book ends the Lincoln debate: it is complete, well-researched and carefully footnoted, and straightforward. Lincoln was a tariff-loving, good-for-nothing politician.
Its not incredibly useful to summarize the evidence or the arguments contained in the book, read it for yourself. Remember that the author is holding no punches - the myth of Lincoln is brought down like any myth should be: with the straightforward, frank truth. After reading this book, there should be no doubt that Lincoln should be villified instead of glorified. Will the idea catch on? It seems unlikely that the hero-worship of our presidents will ever totally die out, but perhaps reading this book will open the eyes of Americans. This is not (but should be) what they teach you in civics class: it is revisionist history as it should be.
Anyone even remotely interested in American history should get a lot from this book. It confronts our cultural icons dead-on and makes us think critically about our national identity, our values, and what we teach the children of this country. This is the kind of book that the field of history needs more of: hopefully historians will realize this and start thinking more like economists.
Rating: 4
Summary: Revisionist, or just anti-nationalist?
Comment: We have a memorial of Abraham Lincoln in the middle of Washington D.C. Has he earned it? Author Thomas J. DiLorenzo probably would say "absolutely not." DiLorenzo's historical analysis actually should not come as much of a surprise at all -- he has meticulously researched this topic. For instance, it should be no surprise that the Lincoln administration severely infringed on civil rights during the War Between the States. Mere critics of Lincoln were summarily jailed and even exiled (such as the most vocal Lincoln opponent, Clement Vallandigham). Also, the South had legitimate grievances that should have -- could have -- been settled peacefully, including, certainly, slavery. Lincoln's love affair with Hamilton-esque Whiggery was a major point of contention of the two (North and South) regions. Southerners opposed this system of high tariffs, a national banking system, and [federal] subsidies for internal improvements. Lincoln also believed that the right of secession -- virtually considered sacrosanct until his administration -- was not a "right" at all, and that the states "existed at the behest of the federal government." This, DiLorenzo argues, is so contrary to the established principles of the American Founding as to defy description.
What may be surprising are some of the conclusions DiLorenzo has drawn from his research. He makes the (very persuasive) case that Lincoln alone is responsible for the virtual demise of Jeffersonian and Jacksonian federalism. Historians can trace the centralization of power in Washington D.C. right to Lincoln. He indicts Lincolnian policies as "mercantilist," equating them with the economics of the European powers of the [then] recent past and present. Regarding slavery, the author states that Lincoln had no real interest in emancipation, and that the Emancipation Proclamation was merely a political gimmick. After all, it had no real power, and didn't even free those slaves in the North. He provides evidence that one of Lincoln's "solutions" to the slave "problem" was colonization -- that is, sending blacks back to Africa or other areas such as Haiti.
DiLorenzo concludes that war was not necessary to resolve the situation on the 1860s. Secession was a right established in the Founding, and the states that wished to secede should have been left alone to do so. Slavery could have (would have, actually) been done away with gradually through compensation as was the case in Europe and other areas in the Americas. Indeed, compensation would have cost the federal gov. MUCH less than what the Civil War had cost the country. (And not just in the number of dead, which DiLorenzo equates to 8 million total given the pop. of the US today.) Ultimately, if the South had been left alone, they would most likely have re-entered the Union at a later time since slavery would have been abolished -- peacefully -- and the North would have been tempered by the South's secession, and after a new evaluation of Jeffersonian principles.
Critics of Lincoln like DiLorenzo are not new, perhaps just obscure. I recommend reading the works of Frank L. Klement, who, some 40-50 years ago was considered "a revisionist" for his criticisms of Lincoln and his defense of "Copperheadism."
Rating: 5
Summary: I read this book originally a year ago
Comment: I read this the first time over a year ago and recently re-read it. It really takes more than a single reading to fully absorb the information.
In the meanwhile I have been browsing the reviews and they seem to be divided into two camps: the first camp read the book, checked the references and kept an open mind. These people seem to rate the book highly.
The next group who have obviously not read the book and criticize DiLorenzo for everything up to and including halitosis and rate the book low.
So far I have been unable to find single negative "review" from anyone who seems to have read the book. So far I have not seen any obvious sign that any of the single star reviers have cracked the cover. If the negative reviewers here would kindly list a single example of flawed research or falsified evidence I would be happy to check it out.
Don't you get it? You negative folks are just making yourselves look stupid for reviewing a book you have obviously never seen much less read.
Yeah, this book deconstructs St. Abraham. Yes this is NOT what you have learned in your government schools. Yes, this is a ugly history. Real history frequently is ugly.
I just read "Brainwashed" and its funny that the reviews of this book support Shapiros conention that schools brainwash students and suppress debate on most subjects and that instead of real debate, authorities resort to personal attacks against the messenger.
They never question or debate the facts. Not once in a a single negative review have I seen even one "reviewer" document a single error of fact in DiLorenzo's work.
No one has taken a single example from the book that is demonstrably in error or even questionable. Not one.
This is a very good book. It is an uncomfortable book. Like most of us I was taught of Lincoln's "greatness". It was not easy to question 40 years of schooling and yes - brainwashing.
This is an important work and anyone lambasting it without reading it is merely wallowing in their own ignorance. They are afraid of the facts evidenced that no one had yet questioned any.
To you negative reviewers; before writing think. Ask yourself: "Have I read this book and have factual objections?", or "I have read this book and am not convinced because...."
Not - "arrggh, an Anti-St Abraham book. Hey, Captain Kirk admired Lincoln so must I. My 3rd grade teached told me Lincoln was our greatest president. Oh my we can't have this questioning of St. Abraham. Never mind that I've not read the book, never mind that I have no clue what I am talking about. Never mind that I am making myself look like an idiot in front of millions of Amazon surfers....
Try it you might like it.
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Title: When in the Course of Human Events by Charles Adams ISBN: 0847697223 Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield Publishing (via NBN) Pub. Date: 01 January, 2000 List Price(USD): $24.95 |
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Title: The South Was Right! by James Ronald Kennedy, Walter Donald Kennedy ISBN: 1565540247 Publisher: Pelican Publishing Company Pub. Date: 01 March, 1994 List Price(USD): $22.95 |
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Title: Myths of American Slavery by Walter Donald Kennedy ISBN: 1589800478 Publisher: Pelican Publishing Company Pub. Date: 01 November, 2002 List Price(USD): $24.95 |
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Title: Emancipating Slaves, Enslaving Free Men: A History of the American Civil War by Jeffrey Rogers Hummel ISBN: 0812693124 Publisher: Open Court Publishing Company Pub. Date: 01 May, 1996 List Price(USD): $19.95 |
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Title: The Rise and Fall of the Confederate Government (Rise & Fall of the Confederate Government) by Jefferson Davis ISBN: 0306804182 Publisher: Da Capo Press Pub. Date: 01 October, 1990 List Price(USD): $20.00 |
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