The American Political Tradition

The American Political Tradition and the Men Who Made It is a political history book by Richard Hofstadter. First published in 1948 by Random House, the book explores the assumptions behind our understanding of American politics, and it provides an overview of the relationship between power and ideas. Political and American historians praise Hofstadter for capturing the American political vision so accurately. Hofstadter was one of the most significant post-war historians. He won the Pulitzer Prize twice and received various other award nominations. He was a communist, and he openly despised capitalism. Readers should be aware of Hofstadter’s political stance as it colors his writing.

The American Political Tradition contains twelve chapters. The book covers America’s political history from the Founding Fathers to President Roosevelt. Each chapter focuses on an individual president and their time in office. Given the book’s publication date, recent presidents are outside its scope. However, it’s still a useful tool for students looking for more information on America’s political past and how the past shapes the future.

The American Political Tradition recounts the backstories of America’s leading male social and political figures. These men shaped America’s institutions, and they’re responsible for the America we have today. Hofstadter argues that capitalism is inextricably linked to the American political tradition, and that Americans wrongfully associate financial and capital success with progress.



Hofstadter arrives at this conclusion by analyzing the history of the US presidency. He focuses on each president in turn and explores their presidency, their agenda, and the reasons why people chose them. Hofstadter believes that, since people choose the president, each president represents the mood of the people, their ideologies, and their aspirations, at any given moment in American history.

The American Political Tradition proves that the elected presidents all share common traits. They promote individuality and personal success, and they encourage everyone to make the most of themselves. They are capitalists, even if they say otherwise. Every president has feared giving too much control to the people. Nevertheless, the American people consistently vote for presidents who promote capitalist and individualist values, even if those presidents articulate these values differently.

The book is not a critique on conservatives. It doesn’t critique any political party. Instead, Hofstadter admits that America’s liberal presidents have also encouraged social mobility and “liberal capitalism.” Even if liberal presidents sought to benefit the whole country, they still focused their agenda on capitalism and economic advancement.



Hofstadter explains that the earliest American presidents wanted to keep the state and commerce separate. They didn’t know how to unite the country, but they didn’t believe in giving big businesses too much influence. These presidents believed that the only way to make the poorer richer was to ensure that big business didn’t have a say in the country’s governance. These early presidents didn’t aim for equality—instead, they aimed for social mobility and progress.

On the other hand, later presidents wanted stronger governments. They wanted to control commercial expansion instead of letting big businesses regulate themselves. The later presidents believed that keeping an eye on big businesses was the only way to protect the poor from exploitation. At their heart, these presidents all sought to protect the poor. They just implemented different strategies to do so. Social mobility and economic progress dominate the American political tradition and the voting booths.

Hofstadter notes that Americans elect presidents who encourage property ownership. This connects to social mobility. The American people believe that everyone’s entitled to own property, such as a house and a car. Presidents who share these progressive beliefs are, therefore, popular. Although the left and the right disagree on many things, both sides of the American political spectrum agree on this point.



More generally, American presidents support the American Dream. Successive governments perpetuate the belief that everyone can reach the top if they work hard enough. This belief is less about entitlement and more about fairness. Those who work hard deserve to succeed. Although many people work extremely hard and never prosper, the American Dream underpins American political attitudes.

Hofstadter doesn’t just cover successive presidencies. He also provides an overview of each president. He considers their actions, their accomplishments, and the problems with their presidencies. For example, Hofstadter argues that President Lincoln was ambivalent towards slavery, which was a major crisis during his term. He also labels President Roosevelt as a warmonger. However, these presidents all truly believed that they united the nation, and that they represented the majority. Given that the American people elected them, there is some truth in this.

What Hofstadter demonstrates is that, whether Americans are left or right-wing, they share certain values in common. It’s these values that shape the presidency and its government going forward, regardless of whether it’s a democratic or republican leader in the White House. Hofstadter doesn’t consider future presidencies, but he doubts the American ideology will change much on this crucial point. The Founding Fathers built the United States of America on prosperity, mobility, and optimism, and these values still speak to the American people.