Empire As A Way of Life

by William Appleman Williams, Andrew J. Bacevich (Introduction)

“An unblinkered look at our imperial past . . . a perceptive work by one of our most perceptive historians.”— Studs Terkel A work of remarkable prescience, Empire As A Way of Life is influential historian William Appleman Williams’s groundbreaking work highlighting imperialism—“empire as a way of life”—as the dominant theme in American history. Analyzing U.S. history from its revolutionary origins to the dawn of the Reagan era, Williams shows how America has always been addicted to empire in its foreign and domestic ideology. Detailing the imperial actions and beliefs of revered figures such as Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln and Franklin Delano Roosevelt, this book is the most in-depth historical study of the American obsession with empire, and is essential to understanding the origins of our current foreign and domestic undertakings. Back in print for the first time in twenty-five years, this new edition features an introduction by Andrew Bacevich, author of The New American How Americans Are Seduced by War and American The Realities and Consequences of U.S. Diplomacy.

Genres: History, Politics, American History, Nonfiction, American, Political Science

225 pages, Paperback

First published September 4, 1980

Reviews

[Tom Darrow · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm a high school US History teacher who read this for a graduate level class on US Empire studies. In this book, Williams argues that the US has throughout its history always viewed itself as an empire and in the process of making a larger empire, although it didn't admit that openly. He begins in the colonial era, where our view of empire was directed at dominating Native Americans and African slaves, then proceeds through the early 1800s where the US had it's first outward attempts at Imperialism. His chapter on the US Civil War is sort of the odd man out, where he describes imperialism as being the North over the South... although he doesn't fully prove his point there. The narrative continues in the late 1800s, WWI era and beyond, where his argument is a bit more obvious.

Generally speaking, I enjoyed this book. But then, I also took his arguments with a grain of salt and realized that his argument shouldn't be taken as gospel. He plays fast and loose with some facts, conveniently ignores or reworks things that run counter to his argument (ex. the isolationist movement in the US post-WWI), and uses quotes from obscure and unrelated people to prove his point (ex. an Australian sheep farmer).

If you use or view this source as one side of a greater debate, it has a lot of merit. You should not, however, take this as THE text on US imperial history (as my professor wanted us to do).

[Andy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Williams' final work predates and presages Zinn by several years. Like the latter's A People's History, he reduces American history to its rawest elements: imperialism and expansionism as drives for economic and social control over increasingly abstracted spheres (first, western land; later, international capitalist markets). As a scholarly work of history, this is not the Williams you want; his earlier work is for that (though, frankly, this is more readable). As a blazing political polemic, though, it's totally awesome.

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Appleman analyzes America as an empire, showing that since Colonial times we have based our life on having more than we need and using our power to make sure that we get it. The quote I like is this one- "America goes not abroad in search of monsters to destroy...She might become the dictatress of the world; she would no longer be the ruler of her own spirit."---John Quincy Adams, Fourth of July, 1821.
How much blood and treasure have we squandered policing the world rather than building a just and equitable society for ALL our people??

[Ot · Rating 4 out of 5]

I took an introduction to American studies course for all of one day which (to my disappointment) I decided to drop because it seemed sort of boring and the prof was dry as sand. He also did recommend we read this book if we wanted to (along with Louis Hartz’s THE LIBERAL TRADITION IN AMERICA, which I will get to next.)

Really liked this brisk, well-written account of American history focusing on how the U.S.‘s insistence on power and dominance—though not always expressed so overtly—has shaped its every move since colonization. For a history book from the 70s this book has aged quite well and covers a lot of ground. His argument made more sense as the book went on and I felt the last few chapters on WWII were the strongest. Interesting to consider what the author would say about the times we now live in.

[Ralph Meima · Rating 5 out of 5]

Horribly prescient in relation to the present day. Good lists of US military interventions at the ends of the chapters that dealt with specific historical periods. (I never knew there had been so many!)

[Ottilie · Rating 1 out of 5]

I might be bias, I had to read this for school...

[Tommy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Empire didn't just emerge in the 20th century, it was a growing consensus since the beginning. The American yeomanry wanted to open and secure new markets all over the world.