#538 How To Break A Democracy - Jon Grinspan

How To Break A Democracy - Jon Grinspan

The Not Old Better Show, Smithsonian Associates Art of Living Interview Series

Welcome to The Not Old Better Show. I'm Paul Vogelzang. As part of our Smithsonian Associates Art of Living interview series, our guest today is Jon Grinspan.

Jon Grinspan is Curator Division of Political and Military History at the Smithsonian, in the National Museum of American History, and will be presenting at the Smithsonian Associates program May 25, 2021, and the title of Jon Grinspan's Zoom presentation is How to Break a Democracy: Lessons from an Age of Acrimony.

Americans may claim we are more divided than we've been since the Civil War but forget that the lifetime after that conflict saw the loudest, roughest political campaigns in our history. Presidential elections from the 1860s through the early 1900s produced the highest turnouts, the closest margins, and the most political violence: The period was marked by three presidential assassinations, two presidents who won the White House while losing the popular vote, and one impeachment. Widespread political participation and frustration went hand in hand until the reforms of the early 20th century traded that participation for civility.

Join me and Jon Grinspan today as we discuss his new book, The Age of Acrimony: How Americans Fought to Fix Their Democracy, 1865-1915, one of "the loudest, closest, most violent elections in US history." (Hint: we're not talking about our most recent US election, either!), and what Jon Grinspan learned in his research that might give our audience reassurance that we, as a country, will move beyond this current political dysfunction. A great subject for today.

Please join me in welcoming to The Not Old Better Show via internet phone, author, historian, curator, and Smithsonian Associate Jon Grinspan.

My thanks to Jon Grinspan, who will be presenting at the Smithsonian Associates program May 25, 2021, and the title of Jon Grinspan's Zoom presentation is How to Break a Democracy: Lessons from an Age of Acrimony. More details in today's show notes. Also, my thanks to the Smithsonian Associates team for all they do to support the show. My special thanks to you, my wonderful Not Old Better Show audience. Please be safe, practice smart social distancing, get the vaccine, and Talk About Better. The Not Old Better Show. Thanks, everybody.

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