Ark of the Liberties: America and the World

Widmer, a Brown University history professor and former Clinton speechwriter, examines the timely question of how the concept of liberty has influenced the development of America and American foreign policy from pre-Revolutionary days to the present. Widmer argues that liberty was part of the New World's allure for centuries, and that the Puritans' quest for religious freedom led directly to the peculiarly American concept of liberty that he says “was essential to America's modern greatness.” While acknowledging many foreign policy fiascos inconsistent with his thesis—including the Mexican-American war, the CIA's destabilization of various Latin American governments and the war in Vietnam—Widmer argues that overall, American actions have been instrumental in furthering liberty, both nationally and internationally. He places Lincoln's performance during the Civil War, Woodrow Wilson's League of Nations, FDR's leadership during WWII, the Marshall Plan and Kennedy's inspirational Pax Americana on the liberty side of the ledger. The Iraq War is addressed only in a scathing epilogue. Widmer offers a critical, informative and ambitious study that honors the best American impulses without ignoring the times the country has fallen from grace. (July)