Rethinking The American Union For The Twenty-First Century

reflections on state nullification, secession, and the human scale of political order

Plot

In this collection of seven essays, Donald Livingston presents the arguments of scholars who suggest that the country is simply too big for one central government. Coming from a wide range of backgrounds, these experts explore such complex issues as government by judiciary and a reconsideration of nationalistic government. They address the sources of nationalism and the influence of early political leaders, while discussing the continuing struggle between federal and local governments. The debate culminates in an analysis paralleling the disintegration of the Soviet Union with the current situation in the United States and urges readers to preserve the sovereignty of individual state governments. The collection is an outgrowth of the Abbeville Conference, held in Charleston, South Carolina, in 2010 and features arguments by Dr. Thomas DiLorenzo, Yuri Maltsev, Donald W. Livingston, Kent Masterson Brown, Marshall DeRosa, Kirkpatrick Sale, and Rob Williams. The essays present challenging ideas on issues that have remained current since the birth of the American nation.