America Before 1787 : The Unraveling of a Colonial Regime

**An original account, drawing on both history and social science, of the causes and consequences of the American Revolution** With __America before 1787__, Jon Elster offers the second volume of a projected trilogy that examines the emergence of constitutional politics in France and America. Here, he explores the increasingly uneasy relations between Britain and its American colonies and the social movements through which the thirteen colonies overcame their seemingly deep internal antagonisms. Elster documents the importance of the radical uncertainty about their opponents that characterized both British and American elites and reveals the often neglected force of enthusiasm, and of emotions more generally, in shaping beliefs and in motivating actions. He provides the first detailed examinations of “divide and rule” as a strategy used on both sides of the Atlantic and of the rise and fall of collective action movements among the Americans. Elster also explains how the gradual undermining in America of the British imperial system took its toll on transatlantic relations and describes how state governments and the American Confederation made crucial institutional decisions that informed and constrained the making of the Constitution. Drawing on a wide range of historical sources and on theories of modern social science, Elster brings together two fields of scholarship in innovative and original ways. The result is a unique synthesis that yields new insights into some of the most important events in modern history.

An original account, drawing on both history and socialscience, of the causes and consequences of the AmericanRevolution With America before 1787, Jon Elsteroffers the second volume of a projected trilogy that examines theemergence of constitutional politics in France and America. Here,he explores the increasingly uneasy relations between Britain andits American colonies and the social movements through which thethirteen colonies overcame their seemingly deep internalantagonisms. Elster documents the importance of the radicaluncertainty about their opponents that characterized both Britishand American elites and reveals the often neglected force ofenthusiasm, and of emotions more generally, in shaping beliefs andin motivating actions. He provides the first detailed examinationsof "divide and rule" as a strategy used on both sides of theAtlantic and of the rise and fall of collective action movementsamong the Americans. Elster also explains how the gradualundermining in America of the British imperial system took its tollon transatlantic relations and describes how state governments andthe American Confederation made crucial institutional decisionsthat informed and constrained the making of the Constitution.Drawing on a wide range of historical sources and on theories ofmodern social science, Elster brings together two fields ofscholarship in innovative and original ways. The result is a uniquesynthesis that yields new insights into some of the most importantevents in modern history.