The Language of Democracy: Political Rhetoric in the United States and Britain,

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Tracing the history of political rhetoric in nineteenth-century America and Britain, Andrew Robertson shows how modern election campaigning was born. Even a decade after the American Revolution, the author shows, British and American political culture had much in common.

FORMATPaperback LANGUAGEEnglish CONDITIONBrand New Publisher Description

Tracing the history of political rhetoric in nineteenth-century America and Britain, Andrew W. Robertson shows how modern election campaigning was born. Robertson discusses early political cartoons and electioneering speeches as he examines the role of each nation's press in assimilating masses of new voters into the political system. Even a decade after the American Revolution, the author shows, British and American political culture had much in common. On both sides of the Atlantic, electioneering in the 1790s was confined mostly to male elites, and published speeches shared a characteristically Neoclassical rhetoric. As voting rights were expanded, however, politicians sought a more effective medium and style for communicating with less-educated audiences. Comparing changes in the modes of discourse in the two countries, Robertson reconstructs the transformation of campaign rhetoric into forms that incorporated the oral culture of the stump speech as well as elite print culture. By the end of the nineteenth century, the press had become the primary medium for initiating, persuading, and sustaining loyal partisan audiences. In Britain and America, millions of men participated in a democratic political culture that spoke their language, played to their prejudices, and courted their approval. Today's readers concerned with broadening political discourse to reach a more diverse audience will find rich and intriguing parallels in Robertson's account.

Author Biography

Andrew W. Robertson, Associate Professor of History at the City University Of New York, is the coeditor, with Jeffrey L. Pasley, of Beyond the Founders: New Approaches to the Political History of the Early American Republic.

Review

"Like the newspaper oratory that is his chief subject, Robertson's study is brief and comprehensive, and should prove effective in convincing specialists in American literature that there is yet remaining a whole field of alternative texts worth the harvesting.-- American Literature"[C]overs a lot and covers it well.... [An] excellent book.-- "International Journal of the Classical Tradition"

Long Description

Tracing the history of political rhetoric in nineteenth-century America and Britain, Andrew W. Robertson shows how modern election campaigning was born. Robertson discusses early political cartoons and electioneering speeches as he examines the role of each nation's press in assimilating masses of new voters into the political system. Even a decade after the American Revolution, the authors shows, British and American political culture had much in common. On both sides of the Atlantic, electioneering in the 1790s was confined mostly to male elites, and published speeches shared a characteristically Neoclassical rhetoric. As voting rights were expanded, however, politicians sought a more effective medium and style for communicating with less-educated audiences. Comparing changes in the modes of in the two countries, Robertson reconstructs the transformation of campaign rhetoric into forms that incorporated the oral culture of the stump speech as well as elite print culture. By the end of the nineteenth century, the press had become the primary medium for initiating, persuading, and sustaining loyal partisan audiences. In Britain and America, millions of men participated in a democratic political culture that spoke their language, played to their prejudices, and courted their approval. Today's readers concerned with broadening political discourse to reach a more diverse audience will find rich and intriguing parallels in Robertson's account.

Review Quote (previous edition)

""Like the newspaper oratory that is his chief subject, Robertson's study is brief and comprehensive, and should prove effective in convincing specialists in American literature that there is yet remaining a whole field of alternative texts worth the harvesting.-- American Literature "[C]overs a lot and covers it well.... [An] excellent book. "--author of International Journal of the Classical Tradition

Review Quote

""Like the newspaper oratory that is his chief subject, Robertson's study is brief and comprehensive, and should prove effective in convincing specialists in American literature that there is yet remaining a whole field of alternative texts worth the harvesting. -- American Literature"[C]overs a lot and covers it well.... [An] excellent book." -- International Journal of the Classical Tradition

Description for Reader

Andrew W. Robertson, Associate Professor of History at the City University of New York, is the coeditor, with Jeffrey L. Pasley, of Beyond the Founders: New Approaches to the Political History of the Early American Republic.

Details ISBN0813923441 Author Andrew W. Robertson Publisher University of Virginia Press Edition Description Univ of Virgini Language English ISBN-10 0813923441 ISBN-13 9780813923444 Media Book Format Paperback Year 2005 Imprint University of Virginia Press Subtitle Political Rhetoric in the United States and Britain, 1790-1900 Country of Publication United States Place of Publication Charlottesville Birth 1951 Short Title LANGUAGE OF DEMOCRACY DOI 10.1604/9780813923444 AU Release Date 2005-03-11 NZ Release Date 2005-03-11 UK Release Date 2005-03-11 Pages 288 Publication Date 2005-03-31 DEWEY 324.70973 Illustrations 12ill. Audience Undergraduate US Release Date 2005-03-31 We've got this

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