The End of the Conservative Era: Liberalism After Reagan

With a nod to Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr., and to others who believe American history moves in cycles of liberalism and conservatism, historian McElvaine (The Great Depression marshals considerable evidence that the U.S. is about to enter ""a new age of progressive reform.'' After more than a decade of cynicism and acquisitive individualism, Americans, he feels, are ready to move from a ``me'' era to a ``we'' era characterized by new idealism and concern for the common good. Drawing parallels between the present and the conservative era of the 1950s, which ushered in the liberal '60s, McElvaine finds signs of an emerging ``New Progressivism'' in everything from voting patterns to baby-boomers' interest in protest music. Much of the book is a blueprint for liberal Democrats, who the author believes can succeed in using new approaches to traditional liberal goals in the reformist '90s. Major ad/promo. (August 20)