Analysis of A Magnificent Catastrophe by Edward J. Larson - Book Report/Review Example

Book Review: A Magnificent Catastrophe A Magnificent Catastrophe by Edward J. Larson is a book that seeks to illustrate the political climate that was prevalent in the United States before and after the administration of George Washington in the early nineteenth century. It depicts the intense rivalry between the main political actors in the United States at the time; namely Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Alexander Hamilton, and Aaron Burr. Among the positive aspects of this book is that it shows the manner through which the leaders mentioned above often worked towards ensuring that the interests if the United States were protected at all costs. Furthermore, the book shows the friendship that developed between Jefferson and Adams during the Revolution when both of them had served as ambassadors in Europe and the manner through which they had previously worked together in ensuring that the constitution was written and revised to serve the interests of the American people (Larson, 2007). It also looks into the personalities of the individuals involved as well as making an analysis of the backgrounds of the various leaders, specifically Adams and Jefferson as a prelude to the rivalry that would develop between them during the Washington administration and later in the election campaign of 1798. The issues addressed in the book are not covered as adequately as one would expect they should be because Larson seems to concentrate on dramatizing the various rivalries that took place between the political leaders of the United States at the time and he forgets to show the positive aspects of the interactions between these men on the history of the nation. It should also be noted that the depiction of the political atmosphere that involved the cutthroat politics that we see today is not accurate because despite the competition, the politicians during that period often sought to put national interests before their own. However, despite its deficiencies, the book is quite incisive about the events that led to America’s eventual involvement in global affairs through providing information concerning how after the French Revolution, there was the harassment of American shipping by the French. The different views of the political figures of the time in relation to the relationship between the United States and European countries such as England and France showed how close these individuals were in their stance that the United States had to remain independent from European influences. Moreover, it is through the development of the various themes concerning the political atmosphere of the early nineteenth century that the book is able to show the diverse problems that the nation has to face in its early days. Larson is able to address the various historical views of the early politics of the United States and relate them to the contemporary view. This is done through a study of the various political actors in the period covered as well as the political groupings that subscribed to their views. There is an example of the manner through which such political factions as the Jeffersonians and the Hamiltonians dealt with their rivals and how these parties became the precursor of the two party system that has come to dominate the United States today. Moreover, the emergence of a clearly defined electoral system which included all major political actors is addressed and this in such a way that it is compared with that of the contemporary world. The book shows that despite the common cause that the American political figures had prior to independence, individuals such as Jefferson, Hamilton, and Adams ended up having very opposite views concerning the future of the new nation. It was as a result of these opposing views that it became possible for the development of intense rivalry between these individuals as each saw themselves as being right in their strategy for the nation. These men sought to ensure that they attained presidential power so that they would be able to enforce what they believed to be the right way of leading the United States into achieving the promise of being a nation free of tyranny. One would suggest that the book did not show that the political atmosphere of the United States was set during the development of its constitution. This is because despite the fact that this document has had an enormous impact in the workings of the government of the nation, its formulation was quite difficult, involving negotiations between two factions that were influential in its development. Larson should have added that these factions included those who were for the implementation of the constitution with a strong federal government, and those who believed that there should be a weak federal system with most authority being vested on individual states. The result is that these two factions had extremely dissimilar views concerning the future of the United States. Those advocating for a strong federal government were comprised of people who were quite well educated and resided in the regions alongside the eastern coastline. Moreover, they were also quite wealthy, and it is possible that their main motivation was to protect their new found leadership of the federation at all costs. Those opposed to a strong federal government were mainly from those states that had a majority of individuals who were not so well off in addition those who lived in the interior, away from the seaboard. Furthermore, it is essential that the development of the political system of the United States be addressed through a look at the structure of colony-based politics prior to the revolution. There are some aspects of the book that need to be taken out and among these is the exaggeration of the impact of the personalities of such individuals as Jefferson and Adams on the politics of the United States as it is today. Larson should not rely less on personalities and instead rely on institutions, such as the development of the political party system, in showing how contemporary politics owes much to the early politics of the nation. Despite its shortcomings, this book provides some additional knowledge concerning the American political system to the reader. When one reads the book, one comes to the realization that the implementation of the vision of the founding fathers of the United States being a free and open society was extremely successful. This success can be accounted for throughout the history of the United States since the constitution was implemented and a strong republican political system established. The United States, as a result of its new political system, came to be recognized all over the world as a leader in democracy over the next century. It became a model for many countries that recognized the need for a strong democratic government overseeing their governance. From reading the book, one comes to the conclusion that the creation of a strong republican government helped in the development of stability between the authority of the states and that of the federal administration. The atmosphere created by the political environment discussed in the book can be said to have enabled the United States to rise from insignificance to gaining considerable influence in the western hemisphere. Furthermore, the process of expansion by the new nation westwards became much easier as a result of the support from a strong and stable government; allowing for the further development of the United States from its nucleus in the eastern seaboard. As a result of its new perspective, this is a book that is recommended for those individuals who seek to know more about the personalities that shaped the nation into what it is today. Reference Larson, E.J. (2007). A Magnificent Catastrophe. New York City: Barnes and Noble. Read More