The Bases for Considering Schulmans Format Over Carters Approach - Research Paper Example

Bruce Schulman’s Outstanding Approach over Dan Carter’s: Depicting the Origins of New Right Introduction Historian’s format takes the form of a particular perspective or holistic approach; the format largely depends on the topic’s nature or focus. Evidently, a work has to be efficiently paired with its appropriate format. The works for comparison, Dan T. Carter’s “The Politics of Race and the Rise of the Right” and Bruce J. Schulman’s “A Rejection of Government: Reagan and Sunbelt,” take different formats for one topic: the origins of the New Right.

This paper aims to present the bases for considering Schulman’s format of an outstanding quality over Carter’s approach. Comparative Analysis Carter’s approach of depicting the origins of the New Right is from an event’s (politician’s race) perspective. However, his work neglected to explore the holistic nature of the New Right phenomenon and presented a one-sided argument -- that political movement alone spurred its resurgence. Carter’s work focused on Wallace’s contribution: “his attacks on the federal government have become the gospel of modern conservatism; his angry rhetoric, the foundation for the new ground rules of political warfare” (Hoffman, Blum, and Gjerde 485).

According to his work, the resurgence of New Right started with “George Wallace’s racist populism, sharpened with Nixon and Agnew’s ‘law and order’ demagogy and triumphant with Reagan’s ‘tough on crime’ policies” (Lyons 28). Schulman’s work capitalized in his clear demographic story of the economic shifting towards the Sunbelt (a rightist territory) and establishment of supporting arguments about the strengthening of New Right. His arguments include the 1) stating of economic developments; 2) fostering of a less federal government; 3) posing the effects of the failure of North and Eastern unions like, they “had risen with the great industrial revolution in the heartland, and they were falling with it too” (Hoffman, Blum, and Gjerde 488); and emphasizing, not just political developments but socio-cultural developments.

Schulman’s format worked well in presenting the emergence of New Right as a participating event in the “reconfiguration of twentieth-century American politics” (McGirr 273). Conclusion Much of New Right activities took center stage in politics, yet its big picture lies in the industrial and commercial movements of the economy, and socio-cultural flow within the civilian spheres. Thus, it is appropriate to include not just a single perspective in presenting the New Right’s origins. Bruce Schulman’s work took heed of this topic’s nature and requirements; consequently, his presentation of the holistic resurgence of the New Right went successful.

Works Cited Hoffman, C. Elizabeth, Edward J. Blum, and Jon Gjerde. Major Problems in American History, Volume II: Since 1865, Documents and Essays. 3rd ed. Boston: Wadsworth, 2012. Print. Lyons, Paul. New Left, New Right, and the Legacy of the Sixties. Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 1996. Print. McGirr, Lisa. Suburban Warriors: The Origins of the New American Right. New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 2001. Print.