From the "This book is not a history, a philosophy of history, a political philosophy, or even a political critique. Rather, it is an exposition of successive general trends, rather than specific events or personalities, which have instantiated or embodied conservative ideologies in America since the eighteenth century. As such, it could perhaps be called a philosophical history, insofar as it seeks to impose some sort of explanation on the overall course, trajectory, and teleology of American history."