In thomas dilorenzos controversial book, the real lincoln. His legend as the great emancipator has grown to mythic proportions as hundreds of books, a national holiday, and a monument in washington, d. He has also made the case about how the military does not protect the u. Thanks to lincoln s war, states rights would no longer perform its most important function. A new look at abraham lincoln, his agenda, and an unnecessary war by thomas j. Dilorenzo has 26 books on goodreads with 10674 ratings. But dilorenzo s newer book lincoln unmasked is even more brilliant.
He has written eleven books, and is very widely published in many magazines and journals. He was in reality the most hated of all american presidents during his lifetime according to an excellent book by historian larry tagg entitled the unpopular mr. A new look at abraham lincoln, his agenda, and an unnecessary war. The real lincoln by thomas dilorenzo 1966 words bartleby. A new look at abraham lincoln, his agenda, and an unnecessary wardec 2, 2003 by thomas dilorenzo. The historical context in this book is more complete than his other book. It is fair to ask, in my opinion, why dilorenzo spends an entire chapter 33 pages of a book on lincoln on the subject of reconstruction, which occurred after lincoln was dead. A new look at abraham lincoln, his agenda, and an unnecessary war dilorenzo, thomas j. A new look at abraham lincoln, his agenda, and an unnecessary war thomas j. A new look at abraham lincoln, his agenda, and an unnecessary war, and how capitalism saved america.
Dilorenzo, a professor of economics at loyola university maryland, in 2002. Tocqueville was correct in his rendition of how the constitution was formed, but he likely never dreamed that an american president would ever send an invading army to kill. In virtually every one of the lincoln douglas debates, lincoln made it a point to champion the nationalization of money and to demonize jackson and the democrats for their opposition to it 68. He was so hated in the north that the new york times. More than 16,000 books have already been written about abraham lincoln. Thomas dilorenzo 1954 is an austrian school economist and pseudohistorian who holds a post as a professor of economics at loyola college, maryland. Through extensive research and meticulous documentation, dilorenzo portrays the sixteenth president as a man who devoted his political career to revolutionizing the american form of government from one that was very limited in scope. Todays federal government is considerably at odds with that envisioned by the framers of the constitution. Why is the real lincoln so much superior to harry jaffas a new birth of freedom. Most people have the opinion that abraham lincoln was a great liberator, but in this book it seems like lincoln was more of a great dictator. This is dilorenzos first book on lincoln, and is better than his second, lincoln unmasked. Dilorenzo 2003, paperback at the best online prices at ebay.
A new look at abraham lincoln, his agenda and an unnecessary war 1st pbk. The real lincoln was a dictator and a tyrant who shredded the constitution, fiendishly orchestrated the mass murder of hundreds of thousands of fellow citizens, and did it all for the economic benefit of the special interests who funded the republican party and his own political career. Indeed, the author repeats many of the arguments made in his previous book, published in 2002. Dilorenzo and adams regard lincoln, like alexander hamilton, henry clay, and daniel webster before him, as a onedimensional politician whose real agenda was to create a mercantilist economic order of central banking, discriminatory taxation for the protection of northern industry, and corporatewelfare subsidies internal improvements. Dilorenzo is the author of the real lincoln and how capitalism saved america. Dilorenzos critics decry his scholarship and the scholars he relies on, and the prospect that his naive readers will not have read from the approved list of lincoln scholars. Professor dilorenzos comparison of king george iiis train of abuses cited in the declaration of independence with lincolns illiberal dictatorial actions is truly brilliant.
A new look at abraham lincoln, his agenda, and an unnecessary war is a biography of abraham lincoln written by thomas j. Book report on the real lincoln by thomas dilorenzo. Some brief internet searching revealed that the book is quite controversial and has been charged with gross. Lee to consider the role of political leadership under extremely difficult circumstances, examining lee as statesman rather than just a military leader and finds that many of lees assertions are still relevant today. Dilorenzo opposes that abraham lincoln was far from the great leader that history has. The ideological warfare underpinning the american civil war marshall derosa derosa uses the figure of robert e. Yet, dilorenzo s book is buttressed by another published about the same time and by a writer who could be expected to otherwise have no sympathy for the real lincoln. The problem is he imagines abraham lincoln s major motivation was as simple and singleminded as his own. A new look at abraham lincoln, his agenda, and an unnecessary war thomas dilorenzo an honest look at abe. Most americans consider abraham lincoln to be the greatest president in history. In this book, thomas dilorenzo calls for a complete rethinking of a central icon of american historiography. A new look at abraham lincoln, his agenda, and an unnecessary warmost americans consider abraham lincoln to be the greatest president in history. A critique of dilorenzos the real lincoln essay thomas j.
Book overview a new look at abraham lincoln, his agenda, and an unnecessary war most americans consider abraham lincoln to be the greatest president in history. But in reality, this book simply uncovers the truth that we are not normally permitted to hear. Based on what i found, i decided to totally reorganize and rewrite that. Through extensive research and meticulous documentation, dilorenzo portrays the sixteenth president as a man who devoted his political career to revolutionizing the american form of government from one that was very limited in scope and highly decentralizedas the founding fathers intendedto a highly centralized, activist state. Thomas dilorenzo on the myth of lincoln, secession and the. Abraham lincoln is usually regarded as a saintly figure, but a detailed book about lincoln shows that much of what historians say about him is pure fiction. Some brief internet searching revealed that the book is quite controversial and has been charged with gross distortion of history. Lincoln unmasked includes an appendix on what they dont want you to read. A new look at abraham lincoln, his agenda, and an unnecessary war, by thomas dilorenzo. A critique of dilorenzos the real lincoln essay 19 words. It is the first book since edgar lee masters 1931 classic, lincoln the man, to attempt to reveal the truth about what kind of man abraham lincoln really.
The problem is he imagines abraham lincolns major motivation was as simple and singleminded as his own. In his book, the real lincoln, a twist is placed on the traditional picture of abraham lincoln. The book that received the most mentions was the real lincoln. A new look at abraham lincoln, his agenda, and an unnecessary war, published in 2002. Dilorenzo s the real lincoln the book opens up with a synopsis of itself. Dilorenzo and his critics on the lincoln myth mises institute. Dilorenzo argues that lincoln opened the gates of war and plunged his fellow countrymen, north and south, into four years of misery and death not to preserve the union as it was or to free the slaves, but to advance his own, his partys, and his constituencys power. Dilorenzos the real lincoln manages to raise fresh and morally probing questions, challenging the image of. A new look at abraham lincoln, his agenda, and an unnecessary war, random house llc, 2002, isbn 9780307559388. Dilorenzo discusses lincoln, academia, and his two books.
Dilorenzo uncovers a side of lincoln not told in many history books and overshadowed by the immense lincoln legend. Dilorenzo was extremely critical about president lincoln s presidency and called him out on crimes that lincoln committed and he argued that lincoln s view about race released forms of bigotry. In chapter one the tone of the book is set, and the author cares naught for abraham lincoln and despises the wellwishers that have inked his name in gold for the history books. The mystery of the attack on pearl harbor and the last good war by ralph raico duration. Dec 01, 2017 professor dilorenzo explains the real cause of the war of northern aggression the causes of the civil war in the words of abraham lincoln and jefferson.
Dilorenzos the real lincoln a rebuttal historical scholarship is often a controversial field, so it is no surprise that occasionally we find some argument or dissension over a book. Real lincoln, the mises institute nonprofit book store. Apparently, dilorenzos point see page 211 is that lincolns agenda and policies led to reconstruction and so it is proper to consider it part of his legacy. The untold history of our country, from the pilgrims to the present, and more on.
A new look at abraham lincoln, his agenda, and an unnecessary war is a critical biography published in 2002. In many ways, the real lincoln is a sobering study in power and corruption. Lincoln and his legacy are highly esteemed, but dilorenzo demonstrates that lincolns presidency were ruinous to the nation and left a legacy of centralized power, leaving the states and the people unable to check federal power. A new look at abraham lincoln, his agenda, and an unnecessary war, a new light is shed upon the historic president lincoln. Dilorenzo is critical of neoconservatism and endless military interventionism. Yet, dilorenzos book is buttressed by another published about the same time and by a writer who could be expected to otherwise have no sympathy for the real lincoln. Lincoln unmasked is another book that will make the gatekeepers very unhappy, for it uncovers important details about americas sixteenth president that the lincoln cult has effectively swept under the ruguntil now. The real lincoln, by loyola college economics prof thomas j. A new look at abraham lincoln, his agenda, and an unnecessary war most americans consider abraham lincoln to be the greatest president in history. Dilorenzo, who ignited a fierce debate about lincoln s legacy with his book the real lincoln, now presents a litany of stunning new revelations that explode the most enduring and pernicious myths about our sixteenth president. It is the first book since edgar lee masters 1931 classic, lincoln the man, to attempt to reveal the truth about what kind of man abraham lincoln really was.
When in fact he was not all that great of a president. A new look at abraham lincoln, his agenda, and an unnecessary war except for spending to protect property rights, enforce the law, and protect citizens from foreign aggressors, all government spending crowds out private spending and weakens the vitality of. Dilorenzo gives an account of how this came about in the real lincoln. As dilorenzo documents contrary to conventional wisdom, books about lincoln, and the lessons taught in schools and colleges the war between the states was not fought to end slavery. A new look at abraham lincoln, his agenda, and an unnecessary war, he attempts to change how people in todays society view abraham lincoln. Professor dilorenzo explains the real cause of the war of. A new look at abraham lincoln, his agenda, and an unnecessary war by dilorenzo, thomas and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. His contention that abraham lincoln was a white supremacist whose primary motivation for fighting the civil war was a desire. Some weeks back i was in an online discussion about good lincoln biographies. A new look at abraham lincoln, his agenda, and an unnecessary war most.
Dilorenzo is the author of the real lincoln and how capitalism. Dilorenzo, for example, describing lincoln s real agenda, writes. A new look at abraham lincoln, his agenda, and an unnecessary war by thomas dilorenzo and thomas j. A new look at abraham lincoln, his agenda and an unnecessary war, which sparked a lively debate on this subject. A new look at abraham lincoln, his agenda, and an unnecessary war by thomas dilorenzo and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at.
Dilorenzo uncovers a side of lincoln not told in many history booksand overshadowed by the immense lincoln legend. Lincoln as he really was is not your typical boring, voluminous biography filled with thousands of disconnected and often irrelevant facts dug up by a dozen graduate research assistants and published by a cardcarrying member of the ivy league lincoln cult. Dilorenzo is an economics professor at loyola college. Lincoln mythology is the ideological cornerstone of american statism.
In thomas dilorenzo s book the real lincoln, is about giving the people who want to know the real story about the greatest american president. He was severely critical of lincolns united states presidency. Through extensive research and meticulous documentation, dilorenzo portrays the sixteenth president as a man who devoted his political career to revolutionizing the american form of. Dilorenzo and his critics on the lincoln myth mises. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read the real lincoln. Williams, a professor of economics at george mason university, says that abraham lincolns direct. He later published lincoln unmasked, which is devoted mainly to bickering with academics and authors who disagree with him which would be most of them. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. This, i found out by reading yet another surprising book. Read the lincoln cultists if you can stand it and read some of my suggested readings, and decide for yourself whats true and whats not about dishonest abe, his war, and his legacy. Lincoln critic thomas dilorenzo author of the new book, the real lincoln will argue that lincoln was a calculating politician who waged the bloodiest war in american history not to free the. A new look at abraham lincoln, his agenda, and an unnecessary war by thomas j dilorenzo online at alibris. A new look at abraham lincoln, his agenda, and an unnecessary war ebook written by thomas j. This web page is devoted to exposing what its publisher and contributors think are a number of grievous errors in thomas dilorenzo s recent book on abraham lincoln the real lincoln.
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