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kwharrison13.comEssays, books and notes by Kyle Harrison

The Radicalism of the American Revolution

From kwharrison13.com · Anti-library
The Radicalism of the American Revolution
AuthorGordon S. Wood
Published1992
Pages447
RecommendedOnce
BuyAmazon
Why it’s on the listWood’s argument that the Revolution’s real work was social rather than constitutional: it dissolved a hierarchical world of patronage and deference into a commercial, egalitarian, money-making one that most of the founders would have disliked. The Pulitzer-winning case that the change was deeper than the politics.

Where I heard about it

  • A reply to @typesfast — named as “The Radicalism of the American Revolution — Gordon Wood” in answer to his question “What’s the best history book you’ve read?” in a thread on X, June 2025. The full set of replies lives on What’s the best history book… (tweet).

Connections

  • Institutions — the dissolution of a deference society as the Revolution’s actual output.
  • American Dream — where the commercial, self-made version of it comes from.
  • Arguing About Slavery — the next generation’s fight inside those institutions, named in the same thread.
  • What’s the best history book… (tweet) — the thread this recommendation came from.
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