Summary of Robert Kagan's Rebellion

The American Revolution introduced radical liberal ideas about individual rights and government, but an antiliberal tradition also emerged in the slaveholding South. This antiliberalism persisted through the Civil War and beyond, manifesting in white supremacy, religious intolerance, and nativism. Historian Robert Kagan explores the historical roots and ongoing influence of liberal and antiliberal traditions in American politics in Rebellion (2024). He issues a stark warning about the radicalization of the Republican Party and the potential collapse of American democracy if antiliberal forces continue to gain ground.