Enemyship: Democracy and Counter-Revolution in the Early Republic (Rhetoric & Public Affairs)

The Declaration of Independence is usually celebrated as a radical document that inspired revolution in the English colonies, in France, and elsewhere. In Enemyship, however, Jeremy Engels views the Declaration as a rhetorical strategy that outlined wildly effective arguments justifying revolution against a colonial authority--and then threatened political stability once independence was finally achieved. Enemyship examines what happened during the latter years of the Revolutionary War and in the immediate post-Revolutionary period, when the rhetorics and energies of revolution began to seem problematic to many wealthy and powerful Americans. To mitigate this threat, says Engles, the founders of the United States deployed the rhetorics of what he calls "enemyship," calling upon Americans to unite in opposition to their shared national enemies. The Declaration of Independence is usually celebrated as a radical document that inspired revolution in the English colonies, in France, and elsewhere. In Enemyship, however, Jeremy Engels views the Declaration as a rhetorical strategy that outlined wildly effective arguments justifying revolution against a colonial authority-- and then threatened political stability once independence was finally achieved. Enemyship examines what happened during the latter years of the Revolutionary War and in the immediate post-Revolutionary period, when the rhetorics and en Introduction, The Second American Revolution -- How Enemyship Became Common Sense -- The Dilemmas Of American Nationalism -- The Army Of The Constitution -- The Contract Of Blood -- Conclusion, Hobbes's Gamble And Franklin's Warning. Jeremy Engels. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Intro -- Contents -- Acknowledgments -- introduction -- chapter one/ How Enemyship Became Common Sense -- chapter two/ The Dilemmas of American Nationalism -- chapter three/ The Army of the Constitution -- chapter four/ The Contract of Blood -- conclusion/ Hobbes's Gamble and Franklin's Warning