The Politicians and the Egalitarians: The Hidden History of American Politics

Placeholder author icon
By Sean Wilentz

Published Sept. 2, 2016

In his new book, American history professor Sean Wilentz argues that America is built on egalitarianism, but that partisanship is a permanent and necessary fixture. Wilentz paints a portrait of history through stories of politicians and egalitarians from Thomas Paine to Abraham Lincoln to W.E.B. Du Bois.

Paw in print

Image
The cover of PAW’s December, 2024, issue, featuring a photo of Albert Einstein in a book-filled office with his secretary, Helen Dukas.
The Latest Issue

December 2024

Hidden heroines; U.N. speaker controversy; Kathy Crow ’89’s connections